Emission properties of an organic light-emitting diode patterned by a photoinduced autostructuration process

The photoluminescence properties of a periodically structured organic light-emitting diode are presented. Patterning is achieved using an original single-step autostructuration technique based on photoinduced effects in azo-polymer films. We show that single beam laser irradiation can lead to the induction of regular two-dimensional surface relief gratings. The waveguide properties of these microstructures as well as their effect on the emission properties of a light-emitting material are studied. We demonstrate a new straightforward technique to improve external light emission efficiency by outcoupling part of the light that was initially guided into the different diode layers. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.