Photolithographic patterning of PEDOT:PSS with a silver interlayer and its application in organic light emitting diodes

• Facile patterning approach for PEDOT:PSS was introduced.
• With silver interlayer, traditional photolithography could be used.
• No obvious influence towards PEDOT:PSS was observed after patterning.
• This method can be applied to flexible and large-area substrates.
• High resolution pixel OLEDs were achieved.

A patterning scheme for poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythio-phene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is reported. With a silver interlayer, the conductive PEDOT:PSS film can be patterned down to micrometer scales by traditional photolithography, and this patterning scheme can be applied on large-area flexible substrates. Through systematical investigations, the patterning processes have no obvious influence on both the bulk and surface properties of PEDOT:PSS films. Efficient organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) are realized based on this patterned PEDOT:PSS anode, and they show comparable performance to those devices with an indium tin oxide (ITO) anode. High-resolution OLED pixel arrays are also demonstrated. Our interlayer approach here has an advantage of patterning PEDOT:PSS with high resolution and large scale, and it is also compatible with traditional photolithographic processes which substantially save the capital cost. Results indicate that the photographically patterned conductive PEDOT:PSS film becomes a promising candidate for eletrical eletrode material in organic electronic applications.

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