Electrothermal Tristability Causes Sudden Burn‐In Phenomena in Organic LEDs

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have been established as a mature display pixel technology. While introducing the same technology in large-area form factor to general lighting and signage applications, some key questions remain unanswered. Under high-brightness conditions, OLED panels were reported exhibit nonlinear electrothermal behavior causing lateral brightness inhomogeneities even regions of switched-back luminance. Also, physical understanding sudden device failure burn-ins is still rudimentary. A safe stable operation tiles, therefore, requires an in-depth these phenomena. Here, it shown that treatment thin-film devices allows grasping underlying physics. Configurations OLEDs with different dimensions are studied role model exceeding certain panel size develop three stable, self heating-induced operating branches. Switching between them causes formation dark spots without any preexisting inhomogeneities. current-stabilized mode commonly used industry, ensures degradation-induced voltage adjustments. demonstrated tristable always leads destructive switching, independent applying constant currents or voltages. With this new effects at high brightness, will be possible adjust driving schemes accordingly, design more resilient system integrations, additional mitigation strategies.