The electrical and the optical properties of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) fabricated utilizing nickel-oxide (NiO) buffer layers between the anodes and the hole transport layers were investigated. The NiO layer was formed by using a thermally evaporated nickel thin film and a subsequent oxidation process. The tunneling holes in the OLED were increased due to the existence of the NiO layer between the anode and the hole transport layer, resulting in enhanced efficiency for the OLED. These results indicate that OLEDs with NiO buffer layers hold promise for potential applications in highly-efficient flat-panel displays. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.