ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9129-8225
Degree
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Major(s)
Electrical Engineering
Document Type
Temporary Embargo for Patent/Proprietary Reasons then Campus Only Restricted Access
Abstract
As optoelectronic devices have grown into one of the foremost applications of physics and chemistry breakthroughs, researchers are naturally seeking to expand the functionality of light-emitting diode (LED) devices. One such application is that of the transparent LED, which is an LED that can emit light in multiple directions due to it being comprised of transparent materials. The central hypothesis of this paper is that the transparent cathodes utilized in transparent LEDs can be optimized by using thin layers of silver and aluminum and the selective inclusion of molybdenum oxide layers. By finding the optimal thickness of these layers, the cathode of an LED can be made more transparent while retaining typical LED functionality. The thin films described in this paper are fabricated using physical vapor deposition (PVD). Transmittance measurements are conducted using UV-Visible spectrophotometry techniques, and resistance measurements with four-point sensing probes. The roughness and general morphology of thin films were measured using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Transmittance and sheet resistance experiments found that a transparent aluminum-silver cathode should be comprised of no more than 10 nanometers of aluminum and no less than 5 nanometers of aluminum to possess acceptable transmittance and conductivity properties. Transmittance and morphology measurements indicated that including two thin layers of molybdenum oxide on both sides of the silver layer is beneficial for maximizing cathode performance.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.54718/OVYW4896
Date Defended
4-30-2025
Thesis Director
Dr. Mahesh Gangishetty
Second Committee Member
Dr. Santanu Kundu
Third Committee Member
Dr. Jonathan Barlow
Recommended Citation
Usey, Timothy G. Jr, "Optimizing Silver/Aluminum Electrodes for Transparent Light-Emitting Diodes" (2025). Honors Theses. 151.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/honorstheses/151
Rights Statement
"Optimizing Silver/Aluminum Electrodes for Transparent Light-Emitting Diodes", Copyright 2025 by Timothy Usey. All rights reserved. Note that in addition to my own works of authorship, this thesis may contain and provide citations to third party content. If your use goes beyond fair use, you would need to contact those rights holders for additional licensing/permissions.
Included in
Electronic Devices and Semiconductor Manufacturing Commons, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Commons, Nanotechnology Fabrication Commons, Semiconductor and Optical Materials Commons
