Recent progress in dielectric/metal/dielectric electrodes for foldable light-emitting devices

Abstract Flexible optoelectronic devices have a broad application prospect in the field of wearable electronic devices, among which the superior transparent electrode is the core problem in achieving high-performance flexible optoelectronic devices. The brittle indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent electrode, which is currently commonly used, is difficult to be compatible with the flexible substrate. Multilayer dielectric/metal/dielectric (DMD) structure films are attracting attention as next-generation ITO-free electrodes. High optical transmittance, super electrical conductivity, and mechanical flexibility of DMD electrodes make them promising for highly efficient optoelectronic devices. Despite substantial research on the optimization of DMD electrodes, a large gulf still exists in obtaining foldable and transparent conductive electrodes and applying them to light-emitting devices, including organic light-emitting diodes (LEDs), quantum dot LEDs, and perovskite LEDs. In this perspective, we review the superiority of DMD electrodes in terms of optical and electrical performance, and mechanical flexibility, and summarize their applications in LEDs. Furthermore, we also give future research directions for DMD electrodes regarding physical properties, mechanism stability, and application reliability.