High quantum efficiency and color stability in white phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes using carboline derivative as a host material

Highly efficient and color stable phosphorescent white organic light-emitting diodes were developed using a high triplet energy host material, 3,3′-bis(9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indol-9-yl)-1,1′-biphenyl (CbBPCb), derived from carboline. Two color phosphorescent white organic light-emitting diodes were fabricated by co-doping of blue and orange triplet emitters or double emitting layer structure of blue and orange emitting layers. High quantum efficiency above 20% and color stability were achieved in the white device by optimizing the doping concentration and emitting layer thickness.     

Acridine derived stable host material for long lifetime blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

A host material having acridine as a hole transport moiety, 10-(3′-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-3-yl)-9,9-dimethyl-9,10-dihydroacridine (CZBPAC), was explored as the host material of phenylimidazole type Ir triplet emitter to realize both high quantum efficiency and stable operational lifetime. The acridine containing CZBPAC was superior to carbazole based host material with the same backbone structure in that it can improve driving voltage, quantum efficiency and lifetime of the blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes simultaneously.     

Thermally stable carboline derivative as a host material for blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

A α-carboline based high triplet energy material, 9,9′-(5′-(carbazol-9-yl)-[1,1′:3′,1″-terphenyl]-3,3″-diyl)di-α-carboline (2CbCzT), was designed and synthesized as the thermally stable host material for blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PHOLEDs). The 2CbCzT host showed high glass transition temperature of 149 °C and high decomposition temperature of 518 °C at 5% weight loss. In addition, the 2CbCzT exhibited bipolar charge transport properties due to hole transport type carbazole and electron transport type α-carboline units. Blue PHOLEDs were developed using the high triplet energy 2CbCzT host material and a high quantum efficiency of 22.1% was obtained.     

Improved power efficiency in blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes using diphenylmethyl linkage based high triplet energy hole transport materials

Improved power efficiency in blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PHOLEDs) was demonstrated by using new high triplet energy hole-transport materials based on the diphenylmethyl linkage. Two high triplet energy hole-transport materials with diphenylamine or ditolyamine moieties linked through a diphenylmethyl linkage, 4,4′-(diphenylmethylene)bis(N,N-diphenylaniline) (TCBPA) and 4,4′-(diphenylmethylene)bis(N,N-di-p-tolylaniline), were synthesized and evaluated as hole-transport materials for blue PHOLEDs. The power efficiency of TCBPA was superior to that of standard 1,1-bis[4-[N,N′-di(p-tolyl)amino]phenyl]cyclohexane.     

Pyridoindole modified carbazole compounds as high triplet energy host materials of imidazole derived blue triplet emitters for high quantum efficiency

Carbazole compounds modified with a pyridoindole moiety were examined as thermally stable high triplet energy host materials for tris[1-(2,4-diisopropyldibenzo[b,d]furan-3-yl)-2-phenylimidazole] (Ir(dbi)₃) based blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes. A well-known carbazole compound, N,N′-dicarbazolyl-3,5-benzene, was substituted with one or two pyridoindole moieties to develop the thermally stable host materials for Ir(dbi)₃ blue triplet emitters. Remarkably high glass transition temperature of 196 °C and thermal decomposition temperature of 486 °C in addition to high triplet energy of 2.89 eV were achieved by the pyridoindole modification. The pyridoindole modified carbazole compounds also delivered high quantum efficiency of 25.4% in the blue phosphorescent devices by doping Ir(dbi)₃.     

Phthalonitrile based charge transfer type host for yellow phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

An phthalonitrile based 3,3''-di(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-[1,1':2′,1''-terphenyl]-4′,5′-dicarbonitrile (IPNCz) was explored as a charge transfer type host of a yellow emitting bis(4-phenyl-thieno[3,2-c]pyridinato-C2,N)(acetylacetonato)iridium(III) (PO-01) dopant. The phthalonitrile unit was an electron deficient unit and 9-phenylcarbazole was an electron rich unit of the IPNCz host. The phthalonitrile unit combined with the phenylcarbazole unit allowed strong charge transfer character by the donor-acceptor structure, delivering good thermal stability, bipolar carrier transport and proper triplet energy. Therefore, the IPNCz host assisted low driving voltage and high quantum efficiency close to 25% in the yellow phosphorescent device.     

High triplet energy n-type dopants for high efficiency in phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

High triplet energy n-type dopants, lithium 2-(oxazol-2-yl)phenolate (LiOx) and lithium 2-(1-methyl-imidazol-2-yl)phenolate (LiIm), were synthesized as n-type doping materials for phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes and the effect of the n-type doping materials on the electron mobility and device performances of the phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes was investigated. The LiOx and LiIm n-type dopants were effective to increase the electron mobility of electron transport materials and improve the quantum efficiency of green and blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes.     

Design of bicarbazole type host materials for long-term stability in blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

Two bicarbazole type host materials, 9-(dibenzo [b,d]thiophen-4-yl)-9ʹ-phenyl-9H,9′H-3,3ʹ-bicarbazole (DBTBCz) and 9,9ʹ-bis(dibenzo [b,d]thiophen-4-yl)-9H,9′H-3,3ʹ-bicarbazole (DDBTBCz), were developed as lifetime enhancing host materials for blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PhOLEDs). The DBTBCz and DDBTBCz host materials were prepared by substituting one or two dibenzothiophene units to a 3,3ʹ-bicarbazole backbone structure for the purpose of improving thermal stability and rigidity of the host materials for stable operational lifetime. Device characterization of the host materials revealed that the dibenzothiophene modification via 4- position is better than that via 2- position for improved lifetime of blue PhOLEDs.     

Orthogonally substituted aryl derivatives as bipolar hosts for blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

Four novel bipolar hosts, namely 9,9′-(2-(4,6-diphenylpyrimidin-2-yl)-1,3-phenylene)bis(9H-carbazole) (2CzPm), 9,9′-(2-(4,6-diphenylpyrimidin-2-yl)-1,3-phenylene)bis(3,6-di-tert-butyl-9H-carbazole) (2TCzPm), 5,5′-(2-(4,6-diphenylpyrimidin-2-yl)-1,3-phenylene)bis(5H-benzofuro[3,2-c]carbazole) (2BFCzPm) and 5,5′-(2-(4,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-1,3-phenylene)bis(5H-benzofuro[3,2-c]carbazole) (2BFCzTrz) were designed and synthesized with diphenylpyrimidine and diphenyltriazine as electron-transporting units and carbazole derivatives as hole-transporting motifs for the application in blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PHOLEDs). These electron-accepting and -donating functional groups were attached to the central phenylene bridge in an ortho-substituted fashion, which led to high triplet energies (2.97–3.00 eV) and wide bandgap (3.43–3.55 eV). The effect of modulation of electron-accepting and donating groups on the photophysical properties, frontier orbital energy levels, charge carrier transport properties and device performance of these four hosts has been investigated. 2BFCzPm and 2BFCzTrz featured with large conjugation system exhibited high thermal stability as compared to 2CzPm and 2TCzPm. The bis[2-(4,6-difluorophenyl)-pyridinato-C2,N](picolinato)iridium(III) (FIrpic) based blue PHOLEDs hosted by 2BFCzPm exhibited excellent electroluminescence performance with a peak current efficiency of 38.2 cd/A and a maximum external quantum efficiency of 19.0%, which could be ascribed to the enhanced thermal stability, high triplet energy and good bipolar charge transport properties of the host material.     

Dibenzofuran derivative as high triplet energy host material for high efficiency in deep blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

A high efficiency deep blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes was developed using an weak electron transport type high triplet energy host material with dibenzofuran and phosphine oxide units. The host material showed a high triplet energy of 3.01 eV and was effective as the host material for deep blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes. The device performances could be optimized by managing the doping concentration of phosphorescent dopants and a high quantum efficiency of 25.9% with a color coordinate of (0.14, 0.22) was achieved.     

Highly efficient,orange–red organic light-emitting diodes using a series of green-emission iridium complexes as hosts

We investigated highly efficient phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) based on an orange–red emission iridium complex as the guest and five green emission iridium complexes as the host material, respectively. For comparison, a device using a common fluorescent host CBP (4,4′-bis(N-carbazolyl)-1,1′-biphenyl) has also been fabricated. Results show that the steric hindrance and exciton transporting property of the iridium complex host are found to be critical to this kind of doping system, a proper steric hindrance and improved exciton transporting ability result in reducing of triplet–triplet annihilation, thus improving of the device performance. In addition, all devices using iridium complexes as host have better performance than that of CBP, which arised from the fact that those green emission iridium complexes have a lower triplet excited energy befitting for energy confinement and a higher highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level for hole injection.     

High quantum efficiency in blue phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes using ortho-substituted high triplet energy host materials

A high triplet energy material derived from carbazole and ortho terphenyl, 3,3′′-di(9H-carbazole-9-yl)-1,1′:2′,1′′-terphenyl (33DCTP), was synthesized as the host material for blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PHOLEDs). The 33DCTP host showed high glass transition temperature of 110 °C, high triplet energy of 2.77 eV, the highest occupied molecular orbital of ?6.12 eV and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of ?2.52 eV. High efficiency blue PHOLEDs were developed using the 33DCTP host and bis((3,5-difluorophenyl)pyridine) iridium picolinate dopant material, and high quantum efficiency of 23.7% was achieved with a color coordinate of (0.14, 0.28).     

Cyclopenta[def]fluorene based high triplet energy hole transport material for blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

A cyclopenta[def]fluorene based high triplet energy hole transport material was synthesized as a thermally stable hole transport material for blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes. The cyclopentafluorene type hole transport material showed a high glass transition temperature of 143 °C, high triplet energy of 2.81 eV and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of 2.10 eV for electron blocking in blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes. The cyclopentafluorene type hole transport material improved the external quantum efficiency of blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes.     

High external quantum efficiency in yellow and white phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes using an indoloacridinefluorene type host material

High efficiency yellow phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes were developed using spiro[fluorene-9,8′-indolo[3,2,1-de]acridine]-2,7-dicarbonitrile (ACDCN) as the host material for yellow emitting iridium(III) bis(4-phenylthieno[3,2-c]pyridinato-N,C²′)acetylacetonate (PO-01). The ACDCN host showed bipolar charge transport properties and efficient energy transfer to PO-01 dopant. Maximum external quantum efficiency of 25.7% and external quantum efficiency of 21.9% at 1000 cd/m² were obtained using ACDCN as the host material. In addition, high external quantum efficiency of 20.9% was achieved in the two color white phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes with the PO-01 and iridium(III) bis[(4,6-difluorophenyl)-pyridinato-N,C²]picolinate doped ACDCN emitting layer.     

Electroluminescence enhancement in blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes based on different hosts

Blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes(OLEDs) are fabricated by utilizing the hole transport-type host material of 1,3-bis(carbazol-9-yl)benzene(MCP) combined with the electron transport-type host material of 1,3-bis(triphenylsilyl)benzene(UGH3) with the ratios of 1:0,8:2 and 6:4,and doping with blue phosphorescent dopant of bis(4,6-difluorophenylpyridinato-N,C2)picolinatoiridium(FIrpic).The device with an optimum concentration proportion of MCP:UGH3 of 8:2 exhibits the maximum current efficiency of 19.18 cd/A at luminance of 35.71 cd/m2 with maintaining Commission Internationale de L’Eclairage(CIE) coordinates of(0.1481,0.2695),which is enhanced by 35.7% compared with that of 1:0 with(0.1498,0.2738).The improvements are attributed to the effective carrier injection and transport in emitting layer(EML) because of mixed host materials.In addition,electron and exciton are confined in the EML,and 4,4’,4’’-Tris(carbazol-9-yl)-triphenylamine(TCTA) and Di-[4-(N,N-ditolyl-amino)-phenyl]cyclohexane(TAPC) have the high lowest unoccupied molecular orbital(LUMO) energy level and triplet exiton energy.     

Fabrication of highly efficient blue top-emission organic light-emitting diodes on different reflective electrodes

The performances of top-emission organic light-emitting diodes (TEOLEDs) with various P-dopant (PD) contents in the injection layer were studied by thinning or removing an indium tin oxide (ITO) film sputtered on the anode. On adjusting the thickness of the active TBPDA (N4,N4,N4′,N4′-tetra ([1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4,4′-diamine) film used as hole transport layer, the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) coordinates of blue TEOLEDs did not change and the same CIE coordinates (0.14, 0.04) were maintained. The blue index of device I (PD of 3%) without an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer was 139.9 cd/A/CIEy at a current density of 10 mA/cm². This value was 28% higher than that of the device B (PD of 2%), which had a 15-nm thick ITO film, and 19% higher than that of device E (PD of 2%), which had a 7-nm thick ITO film. Devices B, E, and I achieved similar voltages of approximately 3.9 V. Thus, in the optimized TEOLEDs with suitable PD contents, efficiency was improved by silver without the use of ITO as an anode.     

High triplet energy Al complex as a host material for blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

An Al complex, tris((2-(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridin-3-yl)oxy)aluminum (Al(pypy)₃), was synthesized as a high triplet energy host material for blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes. A high triplet energy ligand, 2-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)pyridin-3-ol, was coordinated to the Al to develop the high triplet energy host material derived from Al. The Al(pypy)₃ host showed a high triplet energy of 2.86 eV for efficient energy transfer to blue triplet emitter. A maximum quantum efficiency of 20.5% was achieved in blue device using the Al(pypy)₃ host material.     

蓝光波段顶发射有机发光二极管

针对顶发射有机发光二极管(TEOLEDs)中的微腔效应会增加蓝光波段TEOLEDs的制作难度这一问题,提出利用高透明金属阴极并结合在阴极表面生长增透膜的方法来减小二极管阴极的反光性,从而抑制二极管中的微腔效应(这里主要是指多光束干涉);同时利用宽角干涉对器件结构进行设计来改善二极管的蓝光强度,制备了基于有机蓝光材料4,4'-bis(2,2'-diphenylvinyl)-1,1'-biphenyl的顶发射有机发光二极管;优化了增透膜的厚度,研究了增透膜对于二极管电光性能的影响;得到了性能(亮度、效率、色纯度等)可以与底发射有机发光二极管相比的蓝光波段TEOLEDs.     

High Triplet Energy Hosts for Blue Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

Blue organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have been a bottleneck for OLEDs lighting and flexible displays. Improving the operational lifetimes and simultaneously decreasing efficiency roll-off while maintaining high quantum efficiency is currently a challenge in the scientific community and industry. Optimizing the fabrication process of devices and developing stable and efficient luminescence and transporting materials and developing host materials with high triplet energy is an effective way to overcome this obstacle. On the one hand, the host material can disperse the blue emitters to reduce the possibility of exciton annihilation. On the other hand, it can adjust the carrier transport, exciton formation, and energy transfer in the device. In recent years, many efforts have been undertaken for the design, synthesis, and applications of the novel host. A systematic summary and comments on the recent advances of high triplet energy hosts for blue OLEDs are provided here, which specifically include bipolar transport hosts, single thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) hosts, TADF assistant hosts, exciplex hosts, exciplex free type mixed hosts, and electroplex hosts. Moreover, future prospects for host for high performance blue OLEDs are also proposed.     

High triplet energy electron transport type exciton blocking materials for stable blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

High triplet energy electron transport materials with dibenzothiophene and dibenzofuran cores modified with a diphenyltriazine unit were investigated as electron transport type exciton blocking materials for stable blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes. The two exciton blocking materials showed high triplet energy above 2.80 eV and enhanced quantum efficiency of the blue phosphorescent devices by more than 40% while maintaining stability of the pristine blue devices without the high triplet energy exciton blocking layer.