Hybrid light-emitting polymer device fabricated on a metallic nanowire array

An electrode comprised of a copper nanowire array, fabricated by electrodeposition into a porous alumina membrane, is incorporated into a single-layer organic light-emitting device. The 48-nm-diameter copper nanowires form an array of electrical nanocontacts. Current–voltage and electroluminescence data for this device type are presented and compared with an equivalent planar copper electrode device. The nanowire array electrode device sustained a higher operating current density. The results show that such an array electrode can be used to inject charge in a polymer light-emitting diode, opening up the possibility of producing arrays of nanosized light sources using this approach.