Online

Cleary, Thomas Charles

Physics

2023

M.S.

In this work, a computational approach is used to study Metal-Dielectric Photonic Crystal Organic Light Emitting Diodes (MDPC OLEDs) and the changes that non-uniform dielectric layers bring to the photonic band structure. A simplified MDPC OLED constructed from silver metal layers and light-emitting layers of Alq3 is modeled using the transfer matrix method which allows for the simulation of thousands of devices featuring a wide range of size defects in one or more dielectric layers. Three-cavity devices are simulated with aberrant cavities of sizes from 1% to 200% the standard size. Emission plots and electric field profiles are used to illustrate the effects of the defects in these cavities. The results of these simulations are described by two models, based on the coupled oscillator and perturbed harmonic mode models of MDPC OLEDs. We describe the precise control of defect states that exist in the photonic band gap, and identify the importance of the defect cavity position in determining the band structure of a device with such states. The work is expanded into devices with more cavities, and devices with multiple defects, showing how the same principles of cavity coupling can be applied to predict the behavior of arbitrarily large devices with any number of defects.