Polymeric anodes for improved polymer light-emitting diode performance

We have studied polyaniline and polyethylenedioxythiophene transparent electrodes for use as hole-injecting anodes in polymer light emitting diodes. The anodes were doped with a variety of polymer and monomer-based acids and cast from either water or organic solvents to determine the effect of the dopant and solvent on the hole-injection properties. We find that the anodes with polymeric dopants have improved device quantum efficiency and brightness relative to those with small molecule dopants, independent of conductivity, solvent, or type of conducting polymer. For the most conducting polymer anodes [σ > 2 (Ω cm)-1], diodes could be made without an indium tin oxide underlayer. These diodes show substantially slower degradation. © 1997 American Institute of Physics.