Regulation Mechanism of Dielectric/Metal Layer Interface Properties on the Optoelectronic Performance of DMD Flexible Transparent Electrodes

With the wide application of flexible substrates and bendable devices, three-layer flexible transparent conductive films (DMD: dielectric–metal-dielectric layer) with metallic interlayers have attracted much attention due to their excellent overall performance. In this structure, the high refractive index dielectric layer (D-layer) mainly plays the role of reflection reduction and enhances the transmittance in the visible region, while the metal layer (M-layer) sign ificantly enhances the electrical properties of the film. Therefore, precise tuning of the dielectric/metal (D/M) layer interface is the key to achieve a balance between high transmittance and low resistivity for DMD transparent electrodes. This study focuses on the interfacial properties of three different dielectric layers (ZnO, BZO, and Zn–B–O) with Ag layer and their effects on the performance of DMD electrodes. The key interfacial parameters analyzed included oxygen vacancy concentration (characterized by the ratio of oxygen vacancies to lattice oxygen), contact angle (reflecting the wettability), and surface roughness. The comprehensive analysis shows that the BZO dielectric layer DMD transparent electrode achieves the best overall electro-optical performance by virtue of the lowest oxygen vacancy concentration and the optimal surface flatness.