Contact Printing of Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Devices

We demonstrate a solvent-free contact printing process for deposition of patterned and unpatterned colloidal quantum dot (QD) thin films as the electroluminescent layers within hybrid organic-QD light-emitting devices (QD-LEDs). Our method benefits from the simplicity, low cost, and high throughput of solution-processing methods, while eliminating exposure of device structures to solvents. Because the charge transport layers in hybrid organic/inorganic QD-LEDs consist of solvent-sensitive organic thin films, the ability to avoid solvent exposure during device growth, as presented in this study, provides a new flexibility in choosing organic materials for improved device performance. In addition, our method allows us to fabricate both monochrome and red-green-blue patterned electroluminescent structures with 25 microm critical dimension, corresponding to 1000 ppi (pixels-per-inch) print resolution.