Ultralow Water Permeation Barrier Films of Triad a-SiN:H/n-SiON/h-SiO Structure for Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

Organic electronic devices such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), quantum dot LEDs, and organic photovoltaics are promising technologies for future electronics. However, achieving long-term stability of organic-based optoelectronic devices has been regarded as a crucial problem to be solved. In this work, a simple and reproducible fabrication method for ultralow water permeation barrier films having a triple-layered (triad) hydrogenated silicon nitride (a-SiN:H)/nanosilicon oxynitride (n-SiON)/hybrid silicon oxide (h-SiO) multistructure is presented. Two triad (a-SiN:H/n-SiON/h-SiO) multistructure barrier films are deposited on both sides of a poly(ethylene terephthalate) substrate using a combination of low-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and dip coating. The deposited films show a high average transmittance (400-700 nm) of 84% and an ultralow water vapor transmission rate of 2 × 10^-6 g/m²/day. In the electroluminescence characteristics of OLEDs encapsulated with two triad barrier films, the operational lifetime (T₅₀) of OLEDs is 1584 h, which is almost similar to that (1416 h) of OLEDs encapsulated with a glass lid.