A quality photocatalytic activity of an amorphous titanium oxide film achieved using the selectively photochemical etching and its application for the organic light emitting diode encapsulation

• Amorphous TiOx film showed quality photocatalytic activity was achieved using selectively photochemical etching.
• An OLED exhibited self-cleaning function was realized by encapsulating the SPCE-treated film.
• The light-extraction efficiency of the OLED packaged by the film was also enhanced.

In this study, a rapid, cost-effective, and room-temperature achieved selectively photochemical etching (SPCE) process was developed to improve the photocatalytic activity of a PECVD-deposited amorphous titanium oxide (a-TiOx) film. The a-TiOx film treated by the SPCE process showed a photocatalytic activity comparable to that of a high-temperature prepared TiOx film. As examined from the surface roughness and morphologies, optical transmittance, and chemical bond configurations, the mechanism responsible for the significant enhancement on the photocatalytic activity was ascribed to the formation of the nano-textures with the increase in the surface acidity due to the incorporating of fluorine ions. The SPCE-treated a-TiOx film with the quality photocatalytic activity was then applied to encapsulate the blue organic light emitting diode (OLED) to result in the surface with self-cleaning function. A super-hydrophilic surface was available using the internal light irradiation. In addition, the OLED encapsulated by the SPCE-treated a-TiOx film also was beneficial for enhancing the light-extraction efficiency as a consequence of its notably nano-textured surface.

Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide