Hany Aziz

Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research interests: organic electronic and optoelectronic materials and devices; flexible and printable electronics

Biography

Professor Hany Aziz is renowned for his ground breaking work on studying degradation phenomena in Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs), and many of his publications on the subject are considered among the seminal contributions in the field; several of the publications exceeding the 100 citations milestone.

Aziz is working to enable extra slim flat televisions with superior image quality; flexible screens for computers, cell phones, and navigation systems that can be rolled or folded; cheap solar cells that can successfully compete with fossil fuel on economic basis; and low cost disposable consumer electronics.

Aziz obtained a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from McMaster University in 1999. Then he worked as a Research Scientist at Xerox Research Centre of Canada for 8 years, where he was involved in conducting and leading research in OLEDs and photoreceptor imaging devices. In 2007, Aziz joined the University of Waterloo in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering where he held the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)-Dalsa Industrial Research Chair in Organic Light Emitting Devices for Flexible Displays.

Education

  • PhD, Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, 1999
  • BSc, American University, Cairo

Prof. Hany Aziz

Research

Developing novel technologies for next generation electronics

Professor Aziz’s group conducts research in the emerging interdisciplinary area of organic electronics, focusing on electroluminescent (such as Organic Light-Emitting Devices or OLEDs) and light harvesting (such as organic photovoltaics, optical detection and imaging devices) materials and devices. The research spans a wide range of areas ranging from studying fundamental phenomena in organic semiconductors (such as carrier injection and transport, exciton dynamics, carrier-exciton interactions) to developing novel technologies for next generation electronics (such as flexible flat panel displays, transparent electronics, printable electronics).

Varied contributions to the organic electronics community

Professor Aziz’s research contributions are widely cited in the organic electronics community, and have resulted in over 50 peer-reviewed publications to date He has several inventions including the industry’s benchmark long-life and thermally-stable OLED and the contrast enhancing Black Cathode™ Technology. He holds 34 granted U.S. Patents, along with 16 more that are pending.

Current research

Professor Aziz is currently investigating the efficiency and stability of phosphorescent OLEDs, novel electrode and barrier layers for flexible and transparent organic electronics, increasing the sensitivity of organic photodetectors, and exploring new materials and device structures for higher solar cell stability and efficiency.

Research interests

  • Organic electronic and optoelectronic materials and devices (OLEDs, optical sensing/imaging, photovoltaics)
  • Charge and energy transfer in amorphous semiconductors
  • Materials for flexible and printable electronics
  • Nano-structured materials and nanofabrication

Publications

Recent publications include:

  • Kajiyama, Yoshitaka; Kajiyama, Koichi; Aziz, Hany, “Diffusion barriers for achieving controlled concentrations of luminescent dopants via diffusion for mask-less RGB color patterning of organic light emitting devices”, Optics Express, 23(34), pp30783-30792 (2015)
  • Siboni, Hossein Zamani; Sadeghimakki, Bahareh; Sivoththaman, Siva; Aziz, Hany, “Very High Brightness Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Devices via Enhanced Energy Transfer from a Phosphorescent Sensitizer”, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 7(46), pp25828-25834 (2015)
  • Wang, Qi; Aziz, Hany, “The different influence of singlet and triplet excitons in the degradation of phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices due to exciton-polaron-induced aggregation of host materials”, Organic Electronics, 26, pp464-470 (2015)
  • Sun, Bin; Hong, Wei; Thibau, Emmanuel S.; Aziz, Hany; Lu, Zheng-Hong; Li, Yuning, “Polyethylenimine (PEI) As an Effective Dopant To Conveniently Convert Ambipolar and p-Type Polymers into Unipolar n-Type Polymers”, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 7(33), pp18662-18671 (2015)
  • Wang, Qi; Aziz, Hany, “Exciton-Polaron-Induced Aggregation of Organic Electroluminescent Materials: A Major Degradation Mechanism in Wide-Bandgap Phosphorescent and Fluorescent Organic Light-Emitting Devices”, Advanced Optical Materials, 3(7), pp967-975 (2015)
  • Zhang, Yingjie; Aziz, Hany, “Enhanced stability in inverted simplified phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices and its origins”, Organic Electronics, 22, pp69-73 (2015)
  • Kajiyama, Yoshitaka; Kajiyama, Koichi; Aziz, Hany, “Maskless RGB color patterning of vacuum-deposited small molecule OLED displays by diffusion of luminescent dopant molecules”, Optics Express, 23(13), pp16650-16661 (2015)
  • Williams, Graeme; Aziz, Hany, “Vacuum deposited ternary mixture organic solar cells”, Organic Electronics, 17, pp229-239 (2015)
  • Aziz, Hany; Wang, Qi, “Degradation of wide band-gap electrolumienscent materials by exciton-polaron interactions”, Organic Light Emitting Materials And Devices XIX, 9566 (2015)
  • Davidson-Hall, Tyler; Aziz, Hany, “A comparison of the effect of joule heating vs thermal annealing on the morphology of typical hole transport layers in organic light emitting devices”, Organic Light Emitting Materials And Devices XIX, 9566 (2015)
  • Zhang, Yingjie; Aziz, Hany, “Dependence of light outcoupling in organic light-emitting devices on ITO thickness and roughness”, Organic Light Emitting Materials And Devices XIX, 9566 (2015)
  • Murphy, Leanne; Sun, Bin; Hong, Wei; Aziz, Hany; Li, Yuning, “Study of Vertical and Lateral Charge Transport Properties of DPP-Based Polymer/PC61BM Films Using Space Charge Limited Current (SCLC) and Field Effect Transistor Methods and their Effects on Photovoltaic Characteristics”, Australian Journal Of Chemistry, 68(11), pp1741-1749 (2015)
  • Sun, Bin; Hong, Wei; Aziz, Hany; Li, Yuning, “A pyridine-flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based donor-acceptor polymer showing high mobility in ambipolar and n-channel organic thin film transistors”, Polymer Chemistry, 6(6), pp938-945 (2015)
  • Zhou, Dong-Ying; Siboni, Hossein Zamani; Wang, Qi; Liao, Liang-Sheng; Aziz, Hany, “The influence of charge injection from intermediate connectors on the performance of tandem organic light-emitting devices”, JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS, 116(22), (2014)
  • Dumur, Frederic; Lepeltier, Marc; Siboni, Hossein Zamani; Gigmes, Didier; Aziz, Hany, “Phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices (PhOLEDs) based on heteroleptic bis-cyclometalated complexes using acetylacetonate as the ancillary ligand”, SYNTHETIC METALS, 198, pp131-136 (2014)
  • Sun, Bin; Hong, Wei; Thibau, Emmanuel; Aziz, Hany; Lu, Zheng-Hong; Li, Yuning, “Facile conversion of polymer organic thin film transistors from ambipolar and p-type into unipolar n-type using polyethyleneimine (PEI)-modified electrodes”, ORGANIC ELECTRONICS, 15(12), pp3787-3794 (2014)
  • Zhou, Dong-Ying; Siboni, Hossein Zamani; Wang, Qi; Liao, Liang-Sheng; Aziz, Hany, “Host to Guest Energy Transfer Mechanism in Phosphorescent and Fluorescent Organic Light-Emitting Devices Utilizing Exciplex-Forming Hosts”, JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, 118(41), pp24006-24012 (2014)
  • Zhou, Dong-Ying; Cui, Lin-Song; Zhang, Ying-Jie; Liao, Liang-Sheng; Aziz, Hany, “Low driving voltage simplified tandem organic light-emitting devices by using exciplex-forming hosts”, APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 105(15), (2014)
  • Dumur, Frederic; Lepeltier, Marc; Siboni, Hossein Zamani; Xiao, Pu; Graff, Bernadette; Morlet-Savary, Fabrice; Lalevee, Jacques; Gigmes, Didier; Aziz, Hany, “Phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices (PhOLEDs) based on 1-methyl-3-propyl-5-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole as the cyclometalated ligand: Influence of the ancillary ligand on the emissive properties”, SYNTHETIC METALS, 195, pp312-320, (2014)
  • Williams, Graeme; Aziz, Hany, “Implications of the device structure on the photo-stability of organic solar cells”, SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS, 128, pp320-329, (2014)
  • Zhou, Dong-Ying; Zu, Feng-Shuo; Zhang, Ying-Jie; Shi, Xiao-Bo; Aziz, Hany; Liao, Liang-Sheng, “Highly stable and efficient tandem organic light-emitting devices with intermediate connectors using lithium amide as n-type dopant”, APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 105(8), (2014)
  • Wang, Qi; Aziz, Hany, “Detecting luminescence from triplet states of organic semiconductors at room temperatures using delayed electroluminescence spectroscopy”, APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 105(5), (2014)
  • Zhang, Yingjie; Aziz, Hany, “Very high efficiency phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices by using rough indium tin oxide”, APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 105(1), (2014)
  • Dumur, Frederic; Lepeltier, Marc; Siboni, Hossein Zamani; Xiao, Pu; Graff, Bernadette; Lalevee, Jacques; Gigmes, Didier; Aziz, Hany, “Pure red phosphorescent OLED (PhOLED) based on a cyclometalated iridium complex with a dibenzoylmethane (dbm) moiety as the ancillary ligand”, THIN SOLID FILMS, 562, pp530-537, (2014)
  • Dumur, Frederic; Lepeltier, Marc; Siboni, Hossein Zamani; Xiao, Pu; Graff, Bernadette; Lalevee, Jacques; Gigmes, Didier; Aziz, Hany, “Concentration-insensitive phosphorescent organic light emitting devices (PhOLEDs) for easy manufacturing”, JOURNAL OF LUMINESCENCE, 151, pp34-40, (2014)
  • Vongsaysy, Uyxing; Bassani, Dario M.; Servant, Laurent; Pavageau, Bertrand; Wantz, Guillaume; Aziz, Hany, “Formulation strategies for optimizing the morphology of polymeric bulk heterojunction organic solar cells: a brief review”, JOURNAL OF PHOTONICS FOR ENERGY, 4, (2014)
  • Borel, T.; Wang, Q.; Aziz, H., “Factors governing photo- and dark currents in lateral organic photo-detectors”, ORGANIC ELECTRONICS, 15(6), pp1096-1104, (2014)
  • Sutty, Sibi; Williams, Graeme; Aziz, Hany, “Fullerene-based Schottky-junction organic solar cells: a brief review”, JOURNAL OF PHOTONICS FOR ENERGY, 4, (2014)
  • Wang, Qi; Sun, Bin; Aziz, Hany, “Exciton-Polaron-Induced Aggregation of Wide-Bandgap Materials and its Implication on the Electroluminescence Stability of Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Devices”, ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, 24(20), pp2975-2985, (2014)
  • Sun, Bin; Hong, Wei; Yan, Zhuangqing; Aziz, Hany; Li, Yuning, “Record High Electron Mobility of 6.3 cm(2)V(-1)s(-1) Achieved for Polymer Semiconductors Using a New Building Block”, ADVANCED MATERIALS, 26(17), pp2636-2642, (2014)
  • Chen, Shaoyun; Sun, Bin; Hong, Wei; Yan, Zhuangqing; Aziz, Hany; Meng, Yuezhong; Hollinger, Jon; Seferos, Dwight S.; Li, Yuning, “Impact of N-substitution of a carbazole unit on molecular packing and charge transport of DPP-carbazole copolymers”, JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C, 2(9), pp1683-1690, (2014)
  • Dumur, Frederic; Lepeltier, Marc; Siboni, Hossein Zamani; Gigmes, Didier; Aziz, Hany, “Highly Efficient Organic Light-Emitting Devices Prepared with a Phosphorescent Heteroleptic Iridium (III) Complex Containing 7,8-Benzoquinoline as the Cyclometalated Ligand”, ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS, 2(3), pp262-266, (2014)
  • Zhang, Yingjie; Wang, Qi; Aziz, Hany, “Simplified Organic Light-Emitting Devices Utilizing Ultrathin Electron Transport Layers and New Insights on Their Roles”, ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES, 6(3), pp1697-1701, (2014)
  • Kajiyama, Yoshitaka; Joseph, Kevin; Kajiyama, Koichi; Kudo, Shuji; Aziz, Hany, “Small feature sizes and high aperture ratio organic light-emitting diodes by using laser-patterned polyimide shadow masks”, APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 104(5), (2014)
  • Vongsaysy, Uyxing; Pavageau, Bertrand; Wantz, Guillaume; Bassani, Dario M.; Servant, Laurent; Aziz, Hany, “Guiding the Selection of Processing Additives for Increasing the Efficiency of Bulk Heterojunction Polymeric Solar Cells”, ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS, 4(3), (2014)
  • Zhang, Yingjie; Wang, Qi; Aziz, Hany, “Interplay between Ambient and Exciton-Induced Degradation in Organic Light-Emitting Devices”, ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING MATERIALS AND DEVICES XVIII, 9183 (2014)
  • Sutty, Sibi; Williams, Graeme; Aziz, Hany, “Understanding charge transport in vacuum deposited Schottky organic solar cells with microsecond transient photocurrent measurements”, ORGANIC PHOTOVOLTAICS XV, 9184, (2014)
  • Vongsaysy, Uyxing; Pavageau, Bertrand; Servant, Laurent; Aziz, Hany, “Pyrrolidinone derivatives as processing additives for solution processed organic solar cells”, ORGANIC PHOTOVOLTAICS XV, 9184, (2014)
  • Williams, Graeme; Aziz, Hany, “Reducing the variability in performance of organic solar cells containing vacuum deposited MoOx extraction layers”, ORGANIC PHOTOVOLTAICS XV, 9184, (2014)
  • Williams, Graeme; Sutty, Sibi; Aziz, Hany, “Interplay between efficiency and device architecture for small molecule organic solar cells”, PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS, 16(23), pp11398-11407, (2014)
  • Chen, Shaoyun; Sun, Bin; Hong, Wei; Aziz, Hany; Meng, Yuezhong; Li, Yuning, “Influence of side chain length and bifurcation point on the crystalline structure and charge transport of diketopyrrolopyrrole-quaterthiophene copolymers (PDQTs), JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C, 2(12), pp2183-2190, (2014)
  • Williams, Graeme; Aziz, Hany, “The effect of charge extraction layers on the photo-stability of vacuum-deposited versus solution-coated organic solar cells”, ORGANIC ELECTRONICS, 15(1), pp47-56, (2014)
  • L. Murphy, W. Hong, H. Aziz, Y.N. Li, "Influences of using a high mobility donor polymer on solar cell performance", Organic Electronics, 14(12), pp3484-3492 (2013)
  • Q. Wang, H. Aziz, "Exciton-induced degradation of organic/electrode interfaces in ultraviolet organic photodetectors", Organic Electronics, 14(11), pp3030-3036 (2013).
  • S. Sutty, G. Williams, H. Aziz, "Role of the donor material and the donor-acceptor mixing ratio in increasing the efficiency of Schottky junction organic solar cells", Organic Electronics, 14(10), pp2392-2400 (2013).
  • H. Zamani Siboni, H. Aziz, "Explaining the different efficiency behaviors of PHOLEDs with/without a hole injection barrier at the hole transport layer/emitter layer interface", Organic Electronics, 14(10), pp2510-2517 (2013).
  • Q. Wang, H. Aziz, "Degradation of Organic/Organic Interfaces in Organic Light-Emitting Devices due to Polaron-Exciton Interactions", ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 5(17), pp8733-8739 (2013).
  • Y. Zhang, M. M. A. Abdelmalek, Q. Wang, H. Aziz, "Degradation mechanism in simplified phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices utilizing one material for hole transport and emitter host", Applied Physics Letters, 103(6) (2013).
  • L. Murphy, W. Hong, H. Aziz, Y. Li, "Organic photovoltaics with thick active layers (similar to 800 nm) using a high mobility polymer donor", Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 114, pp71-81, (2013).
  • B. Tian, D. Ban, H. Aziz, "Enhanced bulk conductivity and bipolar transport in mixtures of MoOx and organic hole transport materials", Thin Solid Films, 536, pp202-205 (2013).
  • G. Williams, Q. Wang, H. Aziz, "The Photo-Stability of Polymer Solar Cells: Contact Photo-Degradation and the Benefits of Interfacial Layers", Advanced Functional Materials, 23(18), pp2239-2247 (2013).
  • S. Sutty, G. Williams, H. Aziz , "New insights into charge extraction and formation of the band-bending region in Schottky junction organic solar cells", (eds. Z. H. Kafafi, P.A. Lane)Organic Photovoltaics XIV", 8830 (2013).
  • G. Williams, H. Aziz, "Insights into electron and hole extraction layers for upright and inverted vacuum-deposited small molecule organic solar cells", (eds. Z.H. Kafafi, P.A. Lane), Organic Photovoltaics XIV, 8830 (2013).
  • D. M. Hailu, H. Aziz, S. Safavi-Naeini, D. Saeedkia, "Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy of Organic Semiconductors", (eds. L.P. Sadwick, LP; C.M. OSullivan), Terahertz, RF, Millimeter, and Submillimeter-wave Technology and Applications VI, 8624 (2013).
  • B. Sun, W. Hong, H. Aziz, N.M. Abukhdeir, Y.N. Li, "Dramatically enhanced molecular ordering and charge transport of a DPP-based polymer assisted by oligomers through antiplasticization", Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 1(29), pp4423-4426 (2013).
  • Q. Wang, G. Williams, H. Aziz, "Photo-degradation of the indium tin oxide (ITO)/organic interface in organic optoelectronic devices and a new outlook on the role of ITO surface treatments and interfacial layers in improving device stability", Organic Electronics, 13(10), pp2075-2082 (2012).
  • H. Zamani Siboni, H. Aziz, "Causes of driving voltage rise in phosphorescent organic light emitting devices during prolonged electrical driving", Applied Physics Letters, 101(17), 173502 (2012).
  • Q. Wang, G. Williams, T. Tsui, H. Aziz, "Photochemical deterioration of the organic/metal contacts in organic optoelectronic devices", Journal of Applied Physics, 112(6), 064502 (2012).
  • C. Guo, W. Hong, H. Aziz, Y. Li, "Recent Progress in High Mobility Polymer Semiconductors for Organic Thin Film Transistors", Reviews in Advanced Sciences and Engineering, 1(3), pp200-224 (2012).
  • H. Zamani Siboni, H. Aziz, "Triplet-polaron quenching by charges on guest molecules in phosphorescent organic light emitting devices", Applied Physics Letter, 101(6), 063502 (2012).
  • R. Phatak, T.Y. Tsui, H. Aziz, "Dependence of dark spot growth on cathode/organic interfacial adhesion in organic light emitting devices", Journal of Applied Physics, 111(5), 054512 (2012).
  • W. Hong, B. Sun, H. Aziz, W.T. Park, Y.Y. Noh, Y. Li, "A conjugated polyazine containing diketopyrrolopyrrole for ambipolar organic thin film transistors", Chemical Communications, 48(67), pp8413-8415 (2012).
  • B. Sun, W. Hong, H. Aziz, Y. Li, "Diketopyrrolopyrrole-based semiconducting polymer bearing thermocleavable side chains", Journal of Materials Chemistry, 22(36), pp18950-18955 (2012).
  • H. Zamani Siboni, H. Aziz, "The influence of a hole blocking layers on the electroluminescence stability of phosphorescent organic light emitting devices", Organic Electronics, 12(12), pp2056-2060 (2011).
  • B. Tian, G. Williams, D. Ban, H. Aziz, "Transparent organic light-emitting devices using a MoO3/Ag/MoO3 cathode", Journal of Applied Physics, 110(10), 104507 (2011).
  • Q. Wang, H. Aziz, "Poor photo-stability of the organic/LiF/Al contact in organic optoelectronic devices", Organic Electronics, 12(9), pp1571-1575 (2011).
  • H. Zamani Siboni, Y. Luo and H. Aziz “Luminescence Degradation in Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Devices by Hole Space Charges” Journal of Applied Physics 109, 044501 (2011).
  • D. Song, Q. Wang, S. Zhao and H. Aziz "Dependence of Carrier Recombination Mechanism on the Thickness o fthe Emission Layer in Green Phosphorescent Organic Light Emitting Devices" Organic Electronics 12, 582 (2011)
  • Q. Wang and H. Aziz "Photo-stability of the Organic/LiF/Al Contact in Organic Optoelectronic Devices" Organic Electronics 12, 1571 (2011)
  • D. Song, S. Zhao and H. Aziz "Modification of Exciton Lifetime by the Metal Cathode in Phosphorescent OLEDs, and Implications on Device Efficiency and Efficieny Roll-off Behavior" Advanced Functional Materials 21, 2311 (2011)
  • Dandan Song, S. Zhao, Y. Luo and H. Aziz, “Causes of efficiency roll-off in phosphorescent organic light emitting devices: Triplet-triplet annihilation versus triplet-polaron quenching” Applied Physics Letters 97, 243304 (2010).
  • Q. Wang, Y. Lou and H. Aziz, “Photo-degradation of the Organic / Metal Cathode Interface in Organic Light-Emitting Devices”,   Applied Physics Letters 97, 063309 (2010).
  • Y. Lou and H. Aziz, “Probing Triplet-triplet Annihilation Zone and Determining Triplet Exciton Diffusion Length by Using Delayed Electroluminescence”, Journal of Applied Physics 107, 094510 (2010).
  • Y. Lou and H. Aziz, “Correlation Between Triplet–triplet Annihilation and Electrolumines-cence Efficiency in Doped Fluorescent Organic Light-emitting Devices”, Advanced Functional Materials 20, 1285-1293 (2010).
  • Q. Wang, Y. Lou and H. Aziz, “Evidence of Intermolecular Species Formation with Electrical Aging in ​Anthracene-based Blue Organic Light-emitting Devices”,  Journal of Applied Physics 107, 084506 (2010).
  • Y. Lou and H. Aziz, “Space Charge Effects on the Electroluminescence Efficiency and Stability of  Organic Light-emitting Devices with Mixed Emitting Layers”, Applied Physics Letters 95, 073304 (2009).
  • Y. Lou, H. Aziz, G. Xu, Z. Popovic, and G. Xu “Effect of Exciton Diffusion on Electroluminescence of Organic Light Emitting Devices”, Organic Electronics 9, 1128-1131 (2008).
  • Y.C. Luo, H. Aziz, R. Klenkler, G. Xu, and Z. Popovic, “Temperature Dependence of Photoluminescence Efficiency in Doped and Blended Organic Thin Films”, Chemical Physics Letters 458, 319-322 (2008).
  • R.A. Klenkler, H. Aziz, A. Tran, Z. Popovic, and G. Xu “High Electron Mobility Triazine for Lower Driving Voltage and Higher Efficiency Organic Light Emitting Devices”, Organic Electronics 9, 285-290 (2008).

Please see Hany Aziz's Google Scholar profile for a current list of his peer-reviewed articles.

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