How to Make a Polymer LED

Polymer light emitting diodes (LEDs), also known as organic LEDs (or OLEDs), are a promising technology for application in video displays and other areas. Although it takes a significant amount of equipment and expertise to fabricate a polymer LED, with the right tools and some ingenuity, you can make a polymer LED.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Realize that a polymer LED is a thin polymer film between two electrodes. This is the fundamental structure of the device that you need to follow.
2. Select a semiconducting polymer material. Different polymers have a range of different electrical characteristics and can be insulating, semiconducting or fully conducting, depending on their chemical structure. Choose a polymer with semiconducting electrical characteristics.
3. Deposit a thin film (about 4 millionths of an inch) of the polymer onto one of the electrodes. For some polymers, you can do this by immersing the electrode into a specific solution.
4. Add the other electrode to complete the device. The electrodes may be tiny, so this may require magnification and special tools.
5. Encase the device in a plastic casing. This protects the device and can help focus the light.
6. Connect a power source to the device. The cathode sends negative charge into the polymer layer, and the anode sends positive charge into the polymer layer. When these charges meet, they can produce light, which illuminates the LED.

Tips & Warnings

• Different semiconducting polymers produce different frequencies of light. You need to choose the polymer layer accordingly, depending on what color LED you want.
• If you're making your own polymer, follow all safety precautions for working with chemicals. Avoid using toxic chemicals if possible, and always wear safety glasses.

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