Multi-layer polymer light-emitting diodes have been fabricated in vacuum by infrared laser ablation of conducting and light-emitting polymers. The spectral output of the devices resembles that of similar spin-coated devices, but shows some fluence dependence.The world-wide interest in polymer light-emitting devices (PLEDs) for flexible displays and similar applications is driven by their potential for brighter and wider-angle viewing compared to liquid-crystal displays. Indeed, the related market for small-molecule organic light-emitting devices (SMOLEDs) is growing at truly astonishing rates. Polymers offer significant additional flexibility in the choice of materials for opto-electronic applications. However, there are formidable challenges to be met if polymers are to play a significant role in this market. For example, solvent incompatibility can cause difficulties in making multilayer devices by spin-coating; ink-jet deposition of organic materials has issues with jet clogging and the infamous "coffee-stain" topography left by solvent drying. Thermal evaporation in vacuum works for small molecules, but decomposes most polymers. On the other hand, if a vacuumcompatible deposition technique could be developed for polymers, it would make possible other routes to device fabrication that would be highly desirable.We have recently demonstrated that many different families of polymers can be ablated by resonant infrared laser radiation without photothermal, photochemical or photomechanical damage [1-4]. Functionalized polymers for chemical sensing, insoluble addition polymers, thermosetting polymers, and even functionalized fluorescing silica nanoparticles have been successfully deposited as thin films in this way. In the previous studies, we used changes in Fourier-transform infrared spectra or polymer mass distributions as the primary indicators of intact ablation of polymers; these, however, are only necessary, rather than sufficient, conditions for guaranteeing the subsequent performance of functional polymers after deposition on a substrate. The fabrication of electrically or optically active thin films is a much more severe test of the material functionality. In this paper, we present the first spectral and electrical tests of a multilayer polymer light-emitting diode as a demonstration that the challenge of an all-vacuum process for fabricating such devices can be met.Poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV), a common light emitting polymer, was obtained by Aldrich (mw = 40,000 -70,000 amu) and was dissolved at 0.5% by weight into 1,2 dichlorobenzene (DCB). The solution was flash frozen in liquid nitrogen and placed upright in a custom built vacuum deposition chamber. Under typical vacuum pressures of ~ 5x10 -5 Torr, an infrared laser (described below) was delivered into the chamber by way of a CaF 2 window and focused onto the target surface. The laser beam was continually scanned across the target surface as the target was rotated to ensure a uniform fresh surface presented to th...
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