Highly transparent non-metallic cathodes

A device for converting electrical energy into optical energy or optical energy into electrical energy comprising an optoelectronic device having a plurality of layers including a cathode layer, the cathode layer comprising:

• a non-metallic layer;
• and
• an organic layer,
• wherein the non-metallic layer is electrically conductive, and is in low-resistance electrical contact with the organic layer,
• wherein the organic layer is an interface layer situated between the non-metallic layer and the next adjacent layer of the optoelectronic device, and
• wherein the organic layer is semiconductive.

A device for converting electrical energy into optical energy comprising an organic light emitting device having a plurality of layers including a cathode layer, the cathode layer comprising:

• a non-metallic layer;
• and
• an organic layer;
• wherein the non-metallic layer is electrically conductive, and
• wherein the non-metallic layer is in low-resistance electrical contact with the organic layer, and
• wherein the organic layer is an interface layer situated between the non-metallic layer and the next adjacent layer of the organic light emitting device, and
• wherein the organic layer is semiconductive and includes a damage region at the surface of the organic layer, the damage region being in direct contact with the non-metallic layer.

A device for converting electrical energy into coherent optical energy comprising an organic laser having a plurality of layers including a cathode layer, the cathode layer comprising:

• a non-metallic layer;
• and
• an organic layer;
• wherein the non-metallic layer is electrically conductive, and
• wherein the non-metallic layer is in low-resistance electrical contact with the organic layer, and
• wherein the organic layer is an interface layer situated between the non-metallic layer and the next adjacent layer of the organic laser, and
• wherein the organic layer is semiconductive.

A method of fabricating an optoelectronic device, the optoelectronic device having a plurality of layers, the method comprising the steps of:

• creating an anode,
• depositing the plurality of layers on the anode, whereby a heterostructure is formed for producing electroluminescence, further comprising the steps of fabricating a cathode, including:
• depositing an organic layer onto the next adjacent layer of the optoelectronic device;
• and
• depositing a non-metallic layer onto the organic layer, wherein the non-metallic layer is electrically conductive, and the step of depositing the non-metallic layer onto the organic layer forms an interface damage region between the non-metallic layer and the organic layer, whereby the interface damage region causes the non-metallic layer to be in low-resistance electrical contact with the organic layer.

A cathode for an optoelectronic device, the optoelectronic device having a plurality of layers, the cathode comprising:

• a non-metallic layer, wherein the non-metallic layer is electrically conductive;
• a semiconductive organic layer;
• and
• an interface damage region;
• wherein the interface damage region joins the non-metallic layer to the semiconductive organic layer, the interface damage region reduces the barrier to electron transport between the non-metallic layer and the semiconductive organic layer, and the semiconductive organic layer is an interface layer between the non-metallic layer and the next adjacent layer of the optoelectronic device.

An organic light emitting device having a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers comprising a heterostructure for producing electroluminescence, wherein the heterostructure incorporates at least one emissive layer and a transparent cathode layer, the transparent cathode layer comprising:

• a non-metallic layer;
• and
• an organic layer;
• wherein the cathode layer has at least a 50% transmission of incident and admitted radiation,
• wherein the non-metallic layer is electrically conductive,
• wherein the organic layer is an interface layer situated between the non-metallic layer and the at least one emissive layer of the organic light emitting device,
• wherein a low-resistance electrical interface is present between the electrically conductive non-metallic layer and the organic layer, and the organic layer acts to aid the injection of electrons into the at least one emissive layer of the heterostructure.