Thin-film permeation-barrier technology for flexible organic light-emitting devices

One of the advantages of organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) over other display technologies is the ability to fabricate them on flexible substrates. As polymer substrates do not offer the same barrier performance as glass, OLEDs on polymer substrates will require thin-film barriers on both the bottom and top side of the device layers for sufficient lifetimes. This article provides a review of permeation-barrier technologies as well as the current status of thin-film permeation barriers for OLEDs. Topics include the implications of various device structures, permeation rate measurement, background and state-of-the-art of barrier technology, and mechanical and optical considerations for effective barriers.