Laser thermal transfer from a donor element containing a hole-transporting layer

1. A donor element adapted for use in making an OLED device, comprising:

a) a donor support substrate;

b) a light-absorbing layer disposed over the substrate which, in response to light, produces heat;

c) an emissive layer disposed over the light-absorbing layer; and

d) a hole-transporting layer having a thickness in a range from 0.1 nm to 5.0 nm disposed directly on the emissive layer such that when the donor element is positioned in a transfer relationship with the OLED device and when light is absorbed by the light-absorbing layer, heat is produced that causes the vaporization transfer across a gap of the hole-transporting layer and the emissive layer to the OLED device.

2. The donor element of claim 1 wherein the emissive layer includes a host material and a dopant.

3. The donor element of claim 1 wherein the hole-transporting layer is 4,4′-bis[N-(1-naphthyl)-N-phenylamino]biphenyl.

4. A method of using the donor element of claim 1 in a process of making an OLED device, comprising the steps of:

a) positioning the donor element in a transfer relationship with an OLED substrate and spaced from such OLED substrate by a gap;

b) providing a reduced pressure atmosphere in the gap between the donor element and the OLED substrate and wherein the reduced pressure atmosphere is less than or equal to 1 torr such that the mean free path is greater than the gap between the donor element and the substrate; and

c illuminating the donor element with light which is sufficient to cause enough heal to be formed such that the hole-transporting layer and the emissive layer are respectively deposited on the OLED substrate with hole-transporting material of the hole-transporting layer being mixed into the emissive material of the emissive layer at the interface between the hole-transporting and emissive materials.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the light is provided by a laser scarce.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the laser light is from an infrared laser.

7. A method of using the donor element of claim 6 in a process of making an OLED device, comprising the steps of:

a) positioning the donor element in a transfer relationship with an OLED substrate and spaced from such OLED substrate by a gap;

b) providing a reduced pressure atmosphere in the gap between the donor element and the OLED substrate and wherein the reduced pressure atmosphere is less than or equal to 1 torr such that the mean free path is greater than the a gap between the donor element and the substrate; and

c) illuminating the donor element with tight which is sufficient to cause enough heat to be formed such that the hole-transporting layer and the emissive layer are respectively deposited on the OLED substrate with hole-transporting material of the hole-transporting layer being mixed into the emissive materials of the emissive layer at the interface between the hole-transporting and emissive materials.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the light is provided by a laser source.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the laser light is from an infrared laser.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the OLED substrate comprises a first electrode and a hole-transporting layer, where the substrate bole-transporting layer thickness is greater than the donor hole-transporting layer thickness.