Degradation of organic light emitting diodes by nucleated telephone cord blisters

This letter presents the results of a study into adhesion-related degradation mechanisms in single layer polymer light emitting diodes with poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] as the active layer. These studies reveal spiral-shaped blister patterns that are associated with rapid degradation of the device. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images of these defects reveal that these patterns are spiral telephone cord failures that form as a result of compressive stresses in the device.