Light-emitting

electrochemical cell

A light-emitting electrochemical cell (LEC

or LEEC) is a solid-state device that
generates light from an electric current
(electroluminescence). LECs are usually
composed of two metal electrodes
connected by (e.g. sandwiching) an
organic semiconductor containing mobile
ions. Aside from the mobile ions, their
structure is very similar to that of an
organic light-emitting diode (OLED).

LECs have most of the advantages of

OLEDs, as well as additional ones:

The device is less dependent on the

difference in work function of the
electrodes. Consequently, the electrodes
can be made of the same material (e.g.
gold). Similarly, the device can still be
operated at low voltages.[1][2]
Recently developed materials such as
graphene[3] or a blend of carbon
nanotubes and polymers[4] have been
used as electrodes, eliminating the need
 for using indium tin oxide for a
transparent electrode.
The thickness of the active
electroluminescent layer is not critical
for the device to operate. This means
that:
LECs can be printed[5] with relatively
inexpensive printing processes (where
control over film thicknesses can be
difficult).
In a planar device configuration, internal
device operation can be observed
directly.[6]

There are two distinct types of LECs, those

based on inorganic transition metal
complexes (iTMC) or light emitting
polymers. iTMC devices are often more
efficient than their LEP based counterparts
due to the emission mechanism being
phosphorescent rather than fluorescent.[7]

While electroluminescence had been seen

previously in similar devices, the invention
of the polymer LEC is attributed to Pei et
al.[8] Since then, numerous research
groups and a few companies have worked
on improving and commercializing the
devices.

In 2012 the first inherently stretchable LEC

using an elastomeric emissive material (at
room temperature) was reported.
Dispersing an ionic transition metal
complex into an elastomeric matrix
enables the fabrication of intrinsically
stretchable light-emitting devices that
possess large emission areas (∼175 mm2)
and tolerate linear strains up to 27% and
repetitive cycles of 15% strain. This work
demonstrates the suitability of this
approach to new applications in
conformable lighting that require uniform,
diffuse light emission over large areas.[9]

In 2012 fabrication of organic light-

emitting electrochemical cells (LECs)
using a roll-to-roll compatible process
under ambient conditions was reported.[10]

In 2017, a new design approach developed

by a team of Swedish researchers
promised to deliver substantially higher
efficiency: 99.2 cd A−1 at a bright
luminance of 1910 cd m−2.[11]

See also
Electrochemical cell
Electrochemiluminescence
Light-emitting diode
Organic light-emitting diode
Photoelectrolysis
References
1. Gao, J.; Dane, J. (2003). "Planar Polymer
Light-Emitting Electrochemical Cells with
extremely Large Interelectrode Spacing".
Applied Physics Letters. 83 (15): 3027.
Bibcode:2003ApPhL..83.3027G .
doi:10.1063/1.1618948 .
2. Shin, J.-H.; Dzwilewski, A.; Iwasiewicz, A.;
Xiao, S.; Fransson, Å.; Ankah, G. N.; Edman,
L. (2006). "Light Emission at 5 V from a
Polymer Device with a Millimeter-Sized
Interelectrode Gap". Applied Physics
Letters. 89 (1): 013509.
Bibcode:2006ApPhL..89a3509S .
doi:10.1063/1.2219122 .
3. Matyba, P.; Yamaguchi, H.; Eda, G.;
Chhowalla, M.; Edman, L.; Robinson, N. D.
(2010). "Graphene and Mobile Ions: The Key
to All-Plastic, Solution-Processed Light-
Emitting Devices". ACS Nano. 4 (2): 637–
42. doi:10.1021/nn9018569 .
PMID 20131906 .
4. Yu, Z.; Hu, L.; Liu, Z.; Sun, M.; Wang, M.;
Grüner, G.; Pei, Q. (2009). "Fully Bendable
Polymer Light Emitting Devices with Carbon
Nanotubes as Cathode and Anode". Applied
Physics Letters. 95 (20): 203304.
Bibcode:2009ApPhL..95t3304Y .
doi:10.1063/1.3266869 .
5. Mauthner, G.; Landfester, K.; Kock, A.;
Bruckl, H.; Kast, M.; Stepper, C.; List, E. J. W.
(2008). "Inkjet Printed Surface Cell Light-
Emitting Devices from a Water-Based
Polymer Dispersion". Organic Electronics. 9
(2): 164–70.
doi:10.1016/j.orgel.2007.10.007 .
6. Gao, J.; Dane, J. (2004). "Visualization of
Electrochemical Doping and Light-Emitting
Junction Formation in Conjugated Polymer
Films". Applied Physics Letters. 84 (15):
2778. Bibcode:2004ApPhL..84.2778G .
doi:10.1063/1.1702126 .
7. Tang, Shi; Edman, Ludvig (2016-06-13).
"Light-Emitting Electrochemical Cells: A
Review on Recent Progress" . Topics in
Current Chemistry. 374 (4): 40.
doi:10.1007/s41061-016-0040-4 .
ISSN 2365-0869 .
8. Pei, Q. B.; Yu, G.; Zhang, C.; Yang, Y.;
Heeger, A. J. (1995). "Polymer Light-
Emitting Electrochemical-Cells". Science.
269 (5227): 1086–8.
Bibcode:1995Sci...269.1086P .
doi:10.1126/science.269.5227.1086 .
PMID 17755530 .
9. Filiatrault, H. L.; Porteous, G. C.;
Carmichael, R. S.; Davidson, G. J. E.;
Carmichael, T. B. (2012). "Stretchable Light-
Emitting Electrochemical Cells Using an
Elastomeric Emissive Material". Advanced
Materials. 24 (20): 2673–8.
doi:10.1002/adma.201200448 .
10. Sandström, A.; Dam, H. F.; Krebs, F. C.;
Edman, L. (2012). "Ambient Fabrication of
Flexible and Large-Area Organic Light-
Emitting Devices Using Slot-Die Coating"
(PDF). Nature Communications. 3: 1002.
Bibcode:2012NatCo...3E1002S .
doi:10.1038/ncomms2002 . PMC 3432459 
. PMID 22893126 .
11. Tang, S.; Sandström, A.; Lundberg P.;
Lanz, T.; Larsen, C.; van Reenen, S.;
Kemerink, M.; Edman, L. (30 October 2017).
"Design rules for light-emitting
electrochemical cells delivering bright
luminance at 27.5 percent external
quantum efficiency" (pdf). Nature
Communications. 8 (1190 (2017)).
doi:10.1038/s41467-017-01339-0 .
Retrieved 10 November 2017.

Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Light-
emitting_electrochemical_cell&oldid=812236579"

Last edited 2 months ago by Minus…

Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless

otherwise noted.