Abstract: Luminescent ink formulations containing multiple salts selected for good ionic mobility, thermal stability, compatibility with light emitting polymers, good solubility in ink solvents, and electrochemical stability improve the performance of electroluminescent ink. As one salt may not contain all the required properties, a combination of salts is chosen based on the physical and chemical properties of different salts. When multiple salts are incorporated into a light emitting polymer layer, devices show improved lifetime and overall device performance.

Abstract: A conductive electrode paste or ink formulation including a getter removes or reduces the concentration of the unwanted impurities in an electronic device. These reductions may happen during or immediately after the fabrication or sealing of the device, or they may occur after some activation time or event. Water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and residual solvents are gettered.

Abstract: Electronic devices, such as photovoltaic, transistor or doped light-emitting devices, can be manufactured with an air-based manufacturing process and device structure that encapsulates the device with air-stable electrodes and active layers that are reasonably stable in their unexcited state. A sheet of flexible material may act as a substrate and a second sheet of material acts as a cover. Getter materials are included in the encapsulated device, with the getter latent or unreactive during the manufacturing process.

Abstract: A cost effective manufacturing process encapsulates a light emitting polymer (LEP) device between two flexible sheet materials, where one sheet may act as the substrate for the LEP device and the other sheet may act as a cover for the LEP device, and at least one of the sheets is transparent. Both encapsulating sheets and, as required, an adhesive system binding the sheets together provide sufficient environmental barriers with low moisture vapor transmission rates (MVTR) and oxygen transmission rates (OTR). The encapsulating sheets may, for example, be laminated together, sandwiching the LEP device in a vacuum, or oxygen/moisture free, and inert gas environment. Prior to encapsulation the LEP device may be heated and placed in a vacuum to remove moisture, air and residual solvents.

Abstract: The addition of a variety of additives to a soluble electroluminescent polymer in solution is used to improve the printability and performance of screen printed light-emitting polymer-based devices. Examples of such additives include transparent polymers, gel-retarders, high viscosity liquids, organic and inorganic salts, and oxide nanoparticles. The additives are used to control the viscosity of the electroluminescent polymer ink, to decrease the solvent evaporation rate, and to improve the ink consistency and working time. In addition, these additives can improve the charge injection and power efficiency of light emitting devices manufactured from the screen printable electroluminescent polymer ink.

Abstract: A screen printed light emitting polymer device is fabricated by depositing an electroluminescent polymer layer between a transparent electrode and an air stable screen printed top electrode. This invention describes advantageous methods and materials for printed top electrodes for polymer light emitting devices including composite electrode inks containing conducting particles, ionic, semiconducting and non-conducting components. These improvements can simplify device processing and costs as well as improve device performance in terms of voltage, prevention of shorting, operating lifetime and other metrics.

Abstract: Described is a process for manufacturing a light emitting polymer device comprising, in one embodiment, the steps of providing a transparent or non-transparent electrode-containing substrate adapted to act as a first electrode, screen printing a light emitting polymer layer, which is composed of a light emitting polymer dissolved in a solvent, onto the hole injection layer and screen printing a hole injection layer onto the transparent electrode-containing substrate on one side of the light emitting polymer layer.

Abstract: An electroluminescent display which can be bound into a publication which comprises multiple sheets. In one embodiment is an electroluminescent display comprising a rear substrate, a front substrate, an electroluminescent lamp assembly positioned between the rear substrate and the front substrate, a margin portion which defines at least one edge of the display and has a width necessary for permitting the display to be bound in a publication, a power source positioned between the rear substrate and the front substrate and one or more conductive traces which are disposed proximate to the perimeter of the rear substrate and which connect the power source with the electroluminescent lamp assembly. The electroluminescent lamp can comprise more than one independently addressable picture elements and the display can also include a controller for the electroluminescent lamp assembly.

Abstract: Electroluminescent lamp designs and methods of fabricating electroluminescent lamps. Lamp designs provide laminar style lamps that include an electrically conductive layer with one or more openings therethrough separated by conductive elements. The openings preferably have a minimum edge to edge distance of less than about 0.005 inches and the conductive elements have a width of less than about 0.002 inches. Lamp designs also include "iso-planar" lamps that contain an electrically conductive layer with one or more channels separating the layer into two or more electrically conductive elements and an electroluminescent material disposed between the electrically conductive elements. The laminar style lamps and iso-planar lamps may be fabricated using printing techniques and the iso-planar lamps may also be fabricated using etching techniques. Both printed laminar and iso-planar lamps may be permanently reshaped using sheet forming techniques such as vacuum-forming or drape-forming.

Abstract: An apparatus displaying a sequence of images on an electroluminescent lamp is disclosed. The apparatus includes an electroluminescent lamp, a plurality of trace leads, and an overlay adjacent to the electroluminescent lamp. The lamp has a front electrode and a plurality of pixels, the pixels being independently illuminable portions of the lamp, and each pixel includes an electroluminescent material and a rear electrode. The trace leads are connected to the rear electrodes, with each rear electrode connected to one trace lead and each trace lead connected to more than one rear electrode. The overlay has a translucent or transparent material and a plurality of images interwoven together on the translucent or transparent material. Each image corresponds to selected pixels on the lamp. Power supplied to the front electrode and selected rear electrodes creates an electric field therebetween, whereby pixels to which power is supplied are illuminated to display an image.

Abstract: An electroluminescent display system for displaying images having an electroluminescent display unit with a plurality of electroluminescent pixels, a receiver for receiving a signal that contains information regarding an image to be displayed on the unit, a signal processor for processing the information contained in the signal and a signal cable to convey the processed signal to the electroluminescent display so as to activate selected pixels. Because of its light weight, small size and flexibility, the electroluminescent display system is conformable to any shaped surfaces and transportable.

Abstract: Disclosed are thin, flexible electroluminescent lamps. The lamps comprise bubbles of a light emitting material distributed in a matrix. The bubbles can be formed as voids or transparent shells filled with a light emitting material. The bubbles may also include a conductive material and may be aligned in the matrix. Insulating material may be applied to the lamp's external electrodes to protect the lamp from the environment.

Abstract: An electrically activated light emitting cylindrical or other shaped composite filament. A core conductor is optionally surrounded by a first optional insulation layer, surrounded by an outer electrode and an electroluminescent phosphor. The entire assembly may be coated with a second insulation layer. Light is produced by the phosphor when the core conductor and the outer electrode are connected to and energized by an appropriate electrical power supply. The filament may be used to form various one-, two- and three-dimensional light emitting objects.