Recent Progress in Dielectric/Ag/Dielectric Transparent Electrodes on Flexible Substrates

Dielectric/Ag/dielectric (DAD) multilayer thin-film transparent electrode features high visible-light transmittance, low sheet resistance, good mechanical flexibility, and low haze. The fabrication techniques are compatible with large-scale integrated circuits, and the materials are cheap. These advantages make the DAD transparent electrodes a promising alternative to indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes for flexible devices. This review summarizes recent advances in DAD transparent electrodes on flexible substrates, mainly focusing on the opto-electrical performance improvement due to damping of the localized surface resonance (LSPR) of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs). It begins with an analysis of the performance-limiting factors of DAD transparent electrodes, elucidating the importance of damping the LSPR of AgNPs. Subsequently, the state-of-the-art fabrication methods for Ag ultrathin films of weak LSPR and the dielectric material optimization are reviewed. It concludes with perspectives on future research.