Flexible organic light-emitting diodes using a laser lift-off method

Abstract

Flexible electronics are pliable, thin, light weight, and impact resistant, and have many possible applications. Despite flexible substrates and fabrication methods having been studied in numerous reports, the flexible substrates cannot be used in conventional mass production facilities due to their flexibility. Here, we present an innovative approach to the sacrificial material and fabrication process of flexible organic light-emitting diodes using laser transfer technology. An amorphous gallium oxide (α-GaO_x) was used as a sacrificial layer for laser lift-off. The atomic structure of α-GaO_x on a near-medium range order was changed owing to oxygen deficiency and local absorption centers in bandgap increased laser ablation as the power density of the electron-beam evaporator was increased. The α-GaO_x can be completely melted by laser irradiation, thus allowing the OLEDs to be lifted off the glass substrate. The results suggest that the laser lift-off process can be integrated into high temperature processes for fabricating flexible organic devices.