The rapid development of modern photonic technologies—for example, mercury-free lamps, flat-panel displays, and solid-state lamps—demands the timely discovery of advanced phosphors. A combinatorial process has been developed to dramatically accelerate the experimental search for such phosphors. High-density phosphor “libraries” containing from 100 to over 1000 discrete chemical compositions on a 1 in. × 1 in. substrate have been made in thin-film or powder form using selective vapor deposition and liquid-dispensing techniques, respectively. In this article, the existing methods of combinatorial synthesis and screening of phosphors will be reviewed with examples. These methods may also be used to screen organic-based solid-state materials and optimize their device properties. In this regard, combinatorial and spreading techniques have been utilized to study and rapidly optimize organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs).
