An OLED includes an anode formed over a substrate and a contaminant-scavenging layer formed over the anode, wherein the contaminant-scavenging layer includes one or more organic materials but not a hexaazatriphenylene derivative, each having an electron-accepting property and a reduction potential greater than −0.1 V vs. a Saturated Calomel Electrode, and wherein the one or more organic materials provide more than 50% by mole ratio of the contaminant-scavenging layer. The OLED also includes an organic electroluminescent unit formed over the contaminant-scavenging layer, wherein the organic electroluminescent unit includes a hole-transporting layer, a light-emitting layer, and an electron-transporting layer, and a cathode formed over the organic electroluminescent unit.