Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 24, 2025
07:09
Development of Efficient OLEDs from Solution Deposition
Published on: November 4, 2022
2.3K
High-performance thin H:SiON OLED encapsulation layer deposited by PECVD at low temperature
Kyoung Woo Park1,2, Seunghee Lee1, Hyunkoo Lee3
1Smart & Soft Materials & Devices Laboratory (SSMD), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu Daejeon 34141 South Korea shkp@kaist.ac.kr.
RSC Advances
|May 6, 2022
Summary
Highly moisture-resistive hydrogenated silicon oxynitride (H:SiON) thin films offer superior barrier properties for top-emission organic light-emitting diodes (TEOLEDs). These films enhance device stability and longevity.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Thin Film Technology
- Semiconductor Devices
Background:
- Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) require robust encapsulation to prevent degradation from moisture and oxygen.
- Existing encapsulation methods often involve complex multi-layer structures or less effective barrier materials.
- Developing single-layer, highly transparent, and moisture-resistant films is crucial for advancing OLED technology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize highly moisture-permeation resistive and transparent single-layer thin films for top-emission organic light-emitting diode (TEOLED) encapsulation.
- To investigate the effect of hydrogen incorporation on the properties of silicon oxynitride (SiON) films.
- To evaluate the performance of these films under various environmental and mechanical stress conditions.
Main Methods:
- Deposition of hydrogenated silicon oxynitride (H:SiON) thin films using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) with SiH4, N2O, NH3, and H2 at 100 °C.
- Characterization of film properties including optical transmittance, reflectance, and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR).
- Testing of film flexibility and barrier stability through repeated bending tests and long-term TEOLED illumination.
Main Results:
- The H:SiON films exhibited superior moisture barrier properties compared to conventional SiON and SiN films, with a WVTR below 5 × 10⁻⁵ g/m²/day.
- An 80 nm thick H:SiON film demonstrated excellent optical properties and a significant reduction in water permeation.
- Flexible H:SiON films maintained their barrier integrity after 10,000 bending cycles, and TEOLEDs encapsulated with H:SiON showed stable illumination for over 720 hours.
Conclusions:
- The incorporation of hydrogen into SiON films significantly enhances their moisture barrier properties and optical characteristics.
- Single-layer H:SiON films provide effective encapsulation for TEOLEDs, improving device stability and operational lifetime.
- The developed H:SiON thin films represent a promising solution for advanced encapsulation in flexible and high-performance electronic devices.
