Fluorocarbon film as cathode protective coating in organic light-emitting devices

The present work demonstrates the use of fluorocarbon (C Fx) film as a cathode protective layer to enhance the stability of organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs). Devices with the C Fx cathode protective layer showed a threefold increase in operational lifetime, about 10 000 h, comparing to those without the C Fx layer. Growth of dark spots was significantly suppressed. The superior moisture-resistant capability of the C Fx is attributed to its hydrophobic nature and low moisture permeation. As most OLED production lines are already equipped with C Fx deposition facilities, the present cathode protective coating can be easily adopted for further stability enhancement without additional capital investment. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.