Fully solution-processed organic light-emitting electrochemical cells (OLEC) with inkjet-printed micro-lenses for disposable lab-on-chip applications at ambient conditions

Zhe Shu; Oliver Pabst; Erik Beckert; Ramona Eberhardt; Andreas Tünnermann

doi:10.1117/12.2210985

24 February 2016 Fully solution-processed organic light-emitting electrochemical cells (OLEC) with inkjet-printed micro-lenses for disposable lab-on-chip applications at ambient conditions

Zhe Shu, Oliver Pabst, Erik Beckert, Ramona Eberhardt, Andreas Tünnermann

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9745, Organic Photonic Materials and Devices XVIII; 97450W (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2210985
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2016, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Microfluidic lab-on-chip devices can be used for chemical and biological analyses such as DNA tests or environmental monitoring. Such devices integrate most of the basic functionalities needed for scientific analysis on a microfluidic chip. When using such devices, cost and space-intensive lab equipment is no longer necessary. However, in order to make a monolithic and cost-efficient/disposable microfluidic sensing device, direct integration of the excitation light source for fluorescent sensing is often required. To achieve this, we introduce a fully solution processable deviation of OLEDs, organic light-emitting electrochemical cells (OLECs), as a low-cost excitation light source for a disposable microfluidic sensing platform. By mixing metal ions and a solid electrolyte with light-emitting polymers as active materials, an in-situ doping and in-situ PN-junction can be generated within a three layer sandwich device. Thanks to this doping effect, work function adaptation is not necessary and air-stable electrode can be used. An ambient manufacturing process for fully solution-processed OLECs is presented, which consist of a spin-coated blue light-emitting polymer plus dopants on an ITO cathode and an inkjet-printed PEDOT:PSS transparent top anode. A fully transparent blue OLEC is able to obtain light intensity > 2500 cd/m² under pulsed driving mode and maintain stable after 1000 cycles, which fulfils requirements for simple fluorescent on-chip sensing applications. However, because of the large refractive index difference between substrates and air, about 80% of emitted light is trapped inside the device. Therefore, inkjet printed micro-lenses on the rear side are introduced here to further increase light-emitting brightness.

Citation Download Citation

Zhe Shu, Oliver Pabst, Erik Beckert, Ramona Eberhardt, and Andreas Tünnermann "Fully solution-processed organic light-emitting electrochemical cells (OLEC) with inkjet-printed micro-lenses for disposable lab-on-chip applications at ambient conditions", Proc. SPIE 9745, Organic Photonic Materials and Devices XVIII, 97450W (24 February 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2210985

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