Architectural Engineering of Nanowire Network Fine Pattern for 30 μm Wide Flexible Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diode...

Replacing rigid metal oxides with flexible alternatives as a next-generation transparent conductor is important for flexible optoelectronic devices. Recently, nanowire networks have emerged as a new type of transparent conductor and have attracted wide attention because of their all-solution-based process manufacturing and excellent flexibility. However, the intrinsic percolation characteristics of the network determine that its fine pattern behavior is very different from that of continuous films, which is a critical issue for their practical application in high-resolution devices. Herein, a simple optimization approach is proposed to address this issue through the architectural engineering of the nanowire network. The aligned and random silver nanowire networks are fabricated and compared in theory and experimentally. Remarkably, network performance can be notably improved with an aligned structure, which is helpful for external quantum efficiency and the luminance of quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) when the network is applied as the bottom-transparent electrode. More importantly, the advantage introduced by network alignment is also of benefit to fine pattern performance, even when the pattern width is narrowed to 30 μm, which leads to improved luminescent properties and lower failure rates in fine QLED strip applications. This paradigm illuminates a strategy to optimize nanowire network based transparent conductors and can promote their practical application in high-definition flexible optoelectronic devices.