Methodology for optimizing viewing characteristics of top-emitting organic light-emitting devices

Top-emitting organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) have a few technical merits for active-matrix OLED displays. Generally stronger microcavity effects inherent in top-emitting OLEDs, however, complicate optimization of device efficiency and other viewing characteristics. In this letter, using the rigorous classical electromagnetic model, we analyze emission characteristics of top-emitting OLEDs as a function of device structures. From the comprehensive analysis, trends in the dependence of emission characteristics on device structures are extracted, and accordingly, a general methodology for optimizing viewing characteristics of top-emitting OLEDs for display applications is suggested. The effectiveness of the analysis and the methodology is confirmed by experimental results. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.