Effects of transparent bottom electrode thickness on characteristics of transparent organic light-emitting devices

Abstract We conduct both simulation and experiment studies of impacts of simultaneously varying the thicknesses of transparent bottom electrodes and semi-transparent top thin metal electrodes on optical characteristics (e.g., transmission, reflection) and efficiencies of transparent organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs). For the thickness range of both electrodes studied, the total electroluminescent (EL) efficiencies (including both bottom and top emission), EL spectra, and emission patterns remain similar; yet the ratio of top to bottom emission would be modulated by the semi-transparent top metal electrode thickness. The thickness of the transparent bottom electrode has weak effects on the efficiencies of top/bottom/total emission, but it does have definite effects on optical transmission/reflection spectra (e.g. peak/valley wavelengths). Meanwhile, the thickness of semi-transparent top metal electrodes mainly affect magnitudes of the optical transmission/reflection. Transmissive/reflective hues and appearances of the transparent OLEDs can thus be tuned by the thicknesses of bottom/top electrodes. Overall, we demonstrated efficient transparent green phosphorescent OLEDs exhibiting a high peak transmittance of up to 81% and rather high total external quantum efficiencies of up to 21–21.5% (corresponding to a total current efficiency of 80–82 cd/A and total power efficiency of 95–99 l m/W), among the highest (if not the highest) for planar transparent OLEDs using no other optical out-coupling structures. By varying the thicknesses of transparent bottom electrodes and semi-transparent top metal electrodes, the ratio of top to bottom emission, and the transmissive or reflective hues/appearances of transparent OLEDs in the off state can be tuned, yet without sacrificing total EL efficiencies or changing their EL colors/patterns. Such tunable optical characteristics of transparent OLEDs may find some interesting applications.