US2010307791A1PendingUtilityA1

Electrically Conductive Polymers

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Assignee: US GOV SEC NAVYPriority: Jun 9, 2009Filed: Jun 9, 2009Published: Dec 9, 2010
Est. expiryJun 9, 2029(~2.9 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Woohong KimGary P. KushtoZakya H. Kafafi
H10K 71/00H01B 1/128H05B 33/28Y02E10/549H10K 71/60H10K 50/816H10K 2101/80H10K 85/40H10K 85/633H10K 50/81H10K 85/1135
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Claims

Abstract

An electrically conductive film suited to use as a transparent anode, a method of forming the film, and an electronic device comprising the film are disclosed. The device includes a conductive polymer electrode defining first and second surfaces and having an electrical conductivity gradient between the first and second surfaces. A second electrode is spaced from the second surface by at least one organic material layer, such as a light emitting layer.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An electronic device comprising:
 a conductive polymer electrode defining first and second surfaces and having an electrical conductivity gradient between the first and second surfaces;   a second electrode, the second electrode being spaced from the second surface by at least one organic material layer.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical conductivity is higher in a first region than in a second region, the first region being closer to the first surface than the second region. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the conductivity in the first region to the conductivity in the second region is at least 10:1. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 3 , wherein the ratio of the conductivity in the first region to the conductivity in the second region is at least 100:1. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a substrate in contact with the first surface. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one organic material layer comprises a light emitting layer which emits light when a power source is connected between the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is an anode. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode includes a plurality of layers including a first layer and a second layer, the second layer being intermediate the first layer and the at least one organic layer, the first layer having a higher electrical conductivity than the second layer. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of layers includes at least one additional layer intermediate the second layer and the at least one organic layer, the conductivity of the plurality of layers decreasing towards the organic layer. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the conductive polymer is the same in each of the plurality of layers. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the conductive polymer is conjugated with a dopant and wherein a ratio of conductive polymer to dopant is higher in the first layer than in the second layer. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the ratio of conductive polymer to dopant is at least 1.2 times higher in the first layer than in the second layer. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode has a gradually varying conductivity between the first and second surfaces. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive polymer is one which becomes water insoluble upon heating. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive polymer comprises a polythiophene. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive polymer comprises poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT). 
     
     
         17 . The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the conductive polymer comprises PEDOT doped with a dopant and wherein a ratio of PEDOT:dopant is higher adjacent the first surface than adjacent the second surface. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one organic material layer comprises a light emitting layer. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal display, an organic light-emitting device, a photovoltaic cell, and an organic thin film transistor. 
     
     
         20 . A method of forming the device of  claim 1  comprising:
 forming the first electrode comprising depositing a solution comprising a conductive polymer and a dopant to form a first layer; and thereafter performing at least one of:
 a) depositing a second solution comprising a conductive polymer and a dopant on the first layer to form a second layer with a different conductivity than the first layer, and 
 b) irradiating the first layer to produce a conductivity gradient in the first layer; and 
   forming at least one organic material layer intermediate the first electrode and a second electrode.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 prior to depositing the second solution, heating the first layer to render the conductive polymer insoluble in the second solution.   
     
     
         22 . A method of forming an electrically conductive film comprising:
 depositing a first solution comprising an electrically conductive polymer and a dopant on a substrate to form a first conductive layer;   depositing a second solution comprising a conductive polymer and a dopant on the first layer to form a second conductive layer with a different conductivity than the first layer; and   prior to depositing the second solution, heating the first layer to lower a solubility of the first layer's conductive polymer in the second solution.   
     
     
         23 . An electrically conductive film formed by the method of  claim 22 . 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the conductive polymer in the first and second solutions is the same. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first solution has a different conductive polymer to dopant ratio than the second solution. 
     
     
         26 . A method of forming an electrically conductive film comprising:
 depositing a solution comprising an electrically conductive polymer and optionally a dopant on a substrate to form a conductive layer;   irradiating the conductive layer to generate a conductivity gradient in the conductive layer.   
     
     
         27 . An electrically conductive film formed by the method of  claim 26 .

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