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Fabrication of Organic Light Emitting Diodes in an Undergraduate Physics Course

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Conference

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Vancouver, BC

Publication Date

June 26, 2011

Start Date

June 26, 2011

End Date

June 29, 2011

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching Physics or Engineering Physics II

Tagged Division

Engineering Physics & Physics

Page Count

10

Page Numbers

22.696.1 - 22.696.10

DOI

10.18260/1-2--17977

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/17977

Download Count

721

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Paper Authors

biography

Robert Ross University of Detroit Mercy

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Robert A. Ross is a Professor of Physics in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Detroit Mercy. His research interests include semiconductor devices and physics pedagogy. Ross received his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Physics from Wayne State University in Detroit.

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biography

Meghann Norah Murray University of Detroit Mercy

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Meghann Murray has a position in the department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at University of Detroit Mercy.
She received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemistry from UDM and is certified to teach high school chemistry
and physics. She has taught in programs such as the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program. She has
been a judge with the Science and Engineering Fair of Metropolitan Detroit and FIRST Lego League. She was
also a mentor and judge for FIRST high school robotics. She is currently the chair of the Younger Chemists
Committee and Treasurer of the Detroit Local Section of the American Chemical Society and is conducting
research at UDM.

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Abstract

Fabrication of Organic Light Emitting Diodes in an Undergraduate Physics CourseThin film organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) represent the state-of-the-art in electronicdisplay technology. Their uses range from general lighting applications to cellular phonedisplays and high-definition televisions. The ability to produce flexible displays presents anopportunity for a variety of innovative applications. Science and engineering students arefamiliar with displays but typically lack understanding of the underlying physical principles anddevice technologies.We believe that OLEDs provide a valuable context in which to engage science and engineeringstudents in the study of electronic devices. Colleges and universities typically do not have theresources available for students to produce working electronic devices like diodes or transistorsmade from semiconductors like silicon. This paper will describe how science and engineeringstudents, in an upper-level undergraduate physics course, fabricate OLEDs. The active layers ofthe OLEDs are spin-coated onto glass substrates containing a transparent conductive coating.The cathode is formed by the deposition of an appropriate metal contact layer.The deposition and measurement equipment is relatively inexpensive and can be adopted for usein undergraduate physics or engineering courses; as such we believe the topic will be of broadinterest to the physics and engineering community. The paper will discuss the synthesis of thepolymer compounds and the associated deposition techniques. Properties of the devices,including current-voltage characteristics, will be presented along with future plans for thedevelopment of flexible structures on plastic substrates.

Ross, R., & Murray, M. N. (2011, June), Fabrication of Organic Light Emitting Diodes in an Undergraduate Physics Course Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--17977

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