Flexible displays are essential to provide information
in real
time for human–machine interactions. As a next-generation display
technology, quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) are potentially
serving as key components for flexible displays. However, it is still
challenging for QLEDs to simultaneously achieve flexibility, large-scale
production, and high efficiencies. To this end, a strategy is proposed
here by combining a top-emitting structure, optical microcavity optimization,
and large-scale film preparation. A top-emitting microcavity with
semitransparent and reflective metals is designed to achieve flexibility,
efficient carrier injection, and high light extraction efficiency.
Precision manufacturing of large-area QLEDs with the designed top-emitting
microcavity is achieved by combining surfactant-assisted blade-coating
and vacuum thermal evaporation processes. With this strategy, a large-area
flexible QLED with an active area of 400 mm2 and a maximum
external quantum efficiency of 21.8% is developed. This strategy provides
a promising approach toward the development of flexible displays with
the demonstration of a 1.3 in. passive-matrix flexible QLED display
of 19 by 19 pixels.