Highly efficient blue organic light‐emitting diode with high color purity using 4,4′‐N,N′‐dicarbazole‐biphyenyl (CBP) doped with 1,4‐bis[2‐(3‐N‐ethylcarbazoryl) vinyl]benzene (BCzVB)

Abstract— An efficient pure blue multilayer organic light‐emitting diode employing 1,4‐bis[2‐(3‐N‐ethylcarbazoryl)vinyl]benzene (BCzVB) doped into 4,4′‐N,N′‐dicarbazole‐biphyenyl (CBP) is reported. The device structure is ITO (indium tin oxide)/TPD (N,N′‐diphenyl‐N,N′‐bis (3‐methylphenyl)‐1,1′biphenyl‐4,4′diamine)/CBP:BCzVB/Alq₃ (tris‐(8‐hydroxy‐quinolinato) aluminum)/Liq (8‐hydroxy‐quinolinato lithium)/Al; here TPD was used as the hole‐transporting layer, CBP as the blue‐emitting host, BCzVB as the blue dopant, Alq₃ as the electron‐transporting layer, Liq as the electron‐injection layer, and Al as the cathode, respectively. A maximum luminance of 8500 cd/m² and a device efficiency of 3.5 cd/A were achieved. The CIE co‐ordinates were x = 0.15, y = 0.16. The electroluminescent spectra reveal a dominant peak at 448 nm and additional peaks at 476 nm with a full width at half maximum of 60 nm. The Föster energy transfer and, especially, carrier trapping models were considered to be the main mechanism for exciton formation on BCzVB molecules under electrical excitation.     

Effects of emissive layer architecture on recombination zone and Förster resonance energy transfer in organic light-emitting diodes

Recombination zone and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) in multilayer organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) were investigated. Basis device architecture is indium tin oxide (ITO)/N, N′-diphenyl-N, N′-bis(1-naphthyl-phenyl)-1, 1′-biphenyl-4, 4′-diamine (NPB)/4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-tert-butyl-6-(1, 1, 7, 7- tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl)-4H-pyran (DCJTB)/NPB (spacer)/tris-(8-hydroxyl quinoline) aluminum (Alq₃)/2, 9-dimethyl-4, 7-diphenyl-1, 10-phenanthroline (BCP)/Al. Exciton recombination zone is located at DCJTB and Alq₃ layers. When the NPB spacer is 10-nm-thick, Alq₃ emission governs in electroluminescent (EL) spectra owing to absence of FRET between DCJTB and Alq₃. FRET occurs while the NPB spacer is 5-nm-thick and thus DCJTB emission is dominant in EL spectra. As the emissive layout of DCJTB/Alq₃/NPB substitutes for DCJTB/NPB/Alq₃, both DCJTB and NPB emissions are observed due to electron-blocking effect of NPB.     

Efficient white organic light‐emitting diodes based on a balanced split of the exciton‐recombination zone using a graded mixed layer as an electron‐blocking layer

Abstract— Efficient white organic light‐emitting diodes with both a graded mixed layer as the blue‐emitting layer and an electron‐blocking layer, and a DPVBi:Rubrene layer as a yellow‐emitting layer have been demonstrated. The mixing of the two colors occurs due to a balanced split of the exciton‐recombination zone by the graded mixed layer serving as the electron‐blocking layer. The white organic light‐emitting diode with an ITO/2‐TNATA 30 nm/NPB 30 nm/DPVBi:Rubrene (1.0 wt.%) 5 nm/NPB:DPVBi (9:1) 150 nm/NPB:DPVBi (5:5) 75 nm/NPB:DPVBi (3:7) 75 nm/NPB:DPVBi (2:8) 75 nm/NPB:DPVBi (0.5:9.5) 75 nm/BCP 5 nm/Alq³ 30 nm/LiF 0.5 nm/Al 100 nm structure is chosen as a device with an optimal configuration among devices investigated in this study. The employment of the graded mixed layer in the device is effective in suppressing the color shift at different voltages. The white light, with a Commission Internationale d'Eclairage chromaticity coordinates of (0.33, 0.34), is obtained with an applied voltage of 10.5 V for the device. At the applied voltage, the luminance is 4882 cd/m² and the current efficiency is 5.03 cd/A.     

An efficient and bright organic white-light-emitting device

A white-light-emitting device has been fabricated with a structure of ITO/NPB/BCP/Alq₃/LiF/Al. The hole blocking layer(BCP) result in a mixture of lights from NPB molecules (blue-light) and Alq₃ molecules (olivine-light), thereby producing white-light emission. The chromaticity can be readily adjusted by only varying the thickness of the BCP layer. The CIE coordinates of the device are largely insensitive to the driving voltages. The maximum brightness is 5740 cd/m², the EL efficiency is 2.12 cd/A at the applied voltage of 18 V.     

High‐efficiency red‐phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diode with the organic structure of 2‐TNATA/Bebq2:SFC‐411/SFC‐137

Abstract— High‐efficiency and simple‐structured red‐emitting phosphorescent devices based on the hole‐injection layer of 4,4′,4″‐tris(2‐naphthylphenyl‐phenylamino)‐triphenylamine [2‐TNATA] and the emissive layer of bis(10‐hydroxybenzo[h] quinolinato)beryllium complex [Bebq²] doped with SFC‐411 (proprietary red phosphorescent dye) have been researched. The fabricated devices are divided into three types depending on whether or not the hole‐transport layer of N,N′‐bis(1 ‐naphthyl)‐N, N'‐diphenyl‐1,1′‐biphenyl‐4,4′‐diamine [NPB] or the electron‐transport layer of SFC‐137 (proprietary electron transporting material) is included. Among the experimental devices, the best electroluminescent characteristics were obtained for the device with an emission structure of 2‐TNATA/Bebq²:SFC‐411/SFC‐137. In this device, current density and luminance were found to be 200 mA/cm² and 15,000 cd/m² at an applied voltage of 7 V, respectively. Current efficiencies were 15 and 11.6 cd/A under a luminance of 500 and 5000 cd/m². The peak wavelength in the electroluminescent spectral distribution and color coordinates on the Commission Internationale de I'Eclairage (CIE) chart were 628 nm and (0.67, 0.33), respectively.     

Metal (IV) tetras (8‐hydroxyquinoline) (M = Zr,Hf) used as electroluminescent material and electron‐transport layer in OLEDs

Abstract— In this paper, we report on the utilization of zirconium (IV) tetras (8‐hydroxyquinoline), Zrq₄, and hafnium (IV) tetras (8‐hydroxyquinoline), Hfq₄, as an electroluminescent material in fluorescent organic light‐emitting diodes (OLED) and as electron transport layer (ETL) for high‐efficiency electrophosphorescent organic light‐emitting diodes (PHOLEDs). Structural studies show that the metal tetraquinolates (Mq₄) have a very low dipole moment (<0.1 D), in contrast to Alq₃ which has an estimated dipole moment of 4.7 D. Mobility measurements show that Mq₄ complexes give mobilities of (3.5 ± 0.5) × 10^?6 cm²/V‐sec, which are close to the values reported for Alq₃, i.e., (2.3–4.3) × 10^?6 cm²/V‐sec. OLEDs were prepared with the structure ITO/NPD (400 Å)/Mq_n (500 Å)/LiF/Al (NPD = 4‐4′‐bis[N‐(1‐naphthyl)‐N‐phenyl‐amino]bi phenyl, Mq_n = Alq₃, Zrq₄, Hfq₄. The Mq₄‐based OLEDs gave external efficiencies of 1.1%, while the Alq₃‐based devices of the same structure gave efficiencies of 0.7%. PHOLEDs have been fabricated with the structure ITO/NPD (500 Å)/CBP‐8% Ir(ppy)³ (250 Å)/BCP (150 Å)/Mq_n (250 Å)/LiF/Al (CBP = N,N′‐dicarbazolyl‐4‐4′‐biphenyl, Ir(ppy)³ = fac‐tris(2‐phenylpyrridine)iridium, BCP = bathocruprione). PHOLEDs with Mq₄ ETLs showed a greatly improved efficiency, when compared to Alq₃‐based PHOLEDs. The Zrq₄‐based PHOLEDs gave a peak external quantum efficiency of 14% at 0.3 mA/cm² (150 cd/m²), while the Hfq₄ based PHOLED gave a peak external quantum efficiency of 15% at 0.6 mA/cm² (300 cd/m²). Comparable PHOLEDs with an Alq₃ ETL give peak external quantum efficiencies of 8.0% at 0.5 mA/cm². The devices gave an electroluminescence (EL) spectrum consisting only of fac‐tris(2‐phenylpyrridine)iridium (Ir(ppy)³) dopant emission (CIE coordinates of 0.26, 0.66), with no Mq₄ emission observed at any bias level.     

Relationship between exciton recombination zone and applied voltage in organic light-emitting diodes

In this paper, the relationship between exciton recombination zone and applied voltage in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) ITO/NPB (40 nm)/Alq₃(w nm)/rubrene(3 nm)/Alq₃(50−w)/Al, in which a 3 nm rubrene as sensing layer is inserted in Alq₃ layer at different depth, is studied. By comparing the electroluminescence (EL) spectra of device driven under different applied voltages, a conclusion can be drawn that the recombination zone shifts logarithmically with increasing applied voltages.     

Enhanced charge generation in doped organic/organic p–n heterojunction for improving the performance of tandem organic light emitting diode

The doped organic/organic p–n heterojunctions have been applied as charge generation structure (CGS) in tandem organic light emitting diodes (TOLEDs). It is found that the field‐induced charge generation takes place more efficiently at the interface between Li₂CO₃ n‐doped bathocuproine (BCP:Li₂CO₃) and MoO₃ p‐doped 4,4′‐N ,N′‐dicarbazole‐biphenyl (CBP:MoO₃) than at the interface between BCP:Li₂CO₃ and MoO₃ p‐doped 4,4‐bis[N‐1‐naphthyl‐N‐phenylamino]biphenyl (NPB:MoO₃). It is because the process of electrons tunneling through the depletion zone from the highest occupied molecular orbit (HOMO) of CBP:MoO₃ to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbit (LUMO) of BCP:Li₂CO₃ is more efficient than that from the HOMO of NPB:MoO₃ to the LUMO of BCP:Li₂CO₃. Compared to the TOLED using the conventional CGS of 10‐nm BCP:Li₂CO₃/20‐nm NPB:MoO₃, the one using the CGS of 10‐nm BCP:Li₂CO₃/10‐nm CBP:MoO₃/10‐nm NPB:MoO₃ shows increased device performance. In addition, the interconnecting property of CGS of 10‐nm BCP:Li₂CO₃/x nm CBP:MoO₃/20 ? x nm NPB:MoO₃ shows a strong dependence on the thickness of CBP:MoO₃. We provide a new insight on optimizing Ohmic loss in the CGSs, useful for improving the performance of TOLEDs.     

Tuning of electrical and optical properties of organic LEDs using combinatorial device fabrication

The capabilities of combinatorial methods are presented in order to get a detailed understanding of the electrical and optical properties of organic light‐emitting devices (OLEDs), to optimize their performance, and to provide reliable data for device modeling. We show results on multilayer OLEDs ranging from the conventional copper‐phthalocyanine (CuPc)/N,N′di‐(naphtalene‐1‐yl)‐N,N′‐diphenyl‐benzidine (NPB) and tris‐(8‐hydroxy‐quinolinato)aluminum (Alq) tri‐layer device to double‐doped deep‐red‐emitting OLEDs.     

Efficient organic light-emitting diodes with C60 buffer layer

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with C₆₀ buffer layer were fabricated. The effect of C₆₀ buffer layer on the performance of the devices was investigated by inserting C₆₀ buffer layer at the interface between the electrode and organic layers. The device structures were (1) ITO/C₆₀ (0.0, 0.4, 0.7 and 1.0 nm)/NPB/Alq₃/LiF/Al and (2) ITO/NPB/Alq₃/C₆₀ (0.0, 0.4, 0.7 and 1.0 nm)/LiF/Al. The highest brightness and efficiency of the device (1) with 0.7 nm-thick C₆₀ layer reached 6439 cd/m² at 16 V and 1.80 cd/A at 6.4 V, respectively. The enhancements in brightness and efficiency are attributed to an improved balance of hole and electron injections due to C₆₀ layer blocking parts of the injected holes. On the contrary, the brightness and efficiency of the devices with the structure (2) had been hardly enhanced.     

Composite silver electrode for double‐sided‐emitting stacked organic light‐emitting diode

Abstract— A reflective composite silver electrode is proposed and characterized as the middle electrode of a stacked organic light‐emitting diode (OLED) with double‐sided light emission. The proposed electrode is composed of a thermally evaporated stack of LiF (1 nm)/Al (3 nm)/Ag (70 nm) layers. The LiF/Al and the plasma‐treated Ag of the electrode function well as the respective cathode and anode of the bottom‐ and top‐emitting stacked OLEDs, with both being of the non‐inverted type. Power efficiencies of 10.3 and 12.1 lm/W at 100 cd/m² have been measured for bottom‐ and top‐emitting OLEDs, respectively, using dye doping. The stacked OLED having this bipolar middle electrode can be constructed as a two‐terminal‐only device, allowing for simpler driving schemes in double‐side‐emitting passive‐/active‐matrix OLED displays.     

Hole‐rich host materials for blue‐phosphorescent OLEDs

Abstract— Stable and efficient organic light‐emitting devices (OLEDs) are an integral part of the future of lighting and displays. The hole accumulation at the hole‐transport/emissive‐layer interface in such devices is considered to be a major pathway for degradation and efficiency loss. Here, the design and synthesis of two charge‐transporting host materials, based on the phosphine oxide (PO) moiety, engineered to improve hole transport of the emissive layer, will be reported. The compounds are an extension of a molecular design strategy which incorporates a hole‐transporting moiety and an electron‐transporting moiety. These materials were designed with two hole‐transport moieties (HTms) to further improve hole transport, compared to the first‐generation host materials that were designed with one hole‐transport functional group. The triplet exciton energy was maintained at a level greater than that of FIrpic (2.7 eV) to prevent exciton quenching. The EHOMO and ELUMO of the two classes of molecules (i.e., 1 HTm vs. 2 HTms) were similar; however, their device performance varied greatly. Emission zone experiments were conducted to further characterize the difference in charge transport between the molecules.     

Device‐dependent angular luminance enhancement and optical responses of organic light‐emitting devices with a microlens‐array film

Abstract— By taking the organic emitter apodization calculated from electromagnetic theory as input, the angular luminance enhancement of organic light‐emitting devices (OLEDs) with a microlens‐array film (MAF) can be further evaluated by the ray‐tracing approach. First, the OLEDs of different Alq³ thickness are fabricated and their angular luminance measurements are compared to simulation results. Second, mode analyses for different layers are performed to estimate the enhancement potential of the MAF‐attached devices. Finally, by decreasing the Alq³ thickness, increasing the viewing angle, and attaching the MAF, the EL spectral peak shifts of the OLEDs seem irregular, but the spectral blue shifts induced by the optical structures are all explained by the optical responses (EL spectra divided by the intrinsic PL spectrum). In conclusion, the organic emitters with higher off‐axis‐angle luminous intensity cause lower out‐coupling efficiency but gain higher enhancement after the MAF is attached. With the choices of apodizations and microstructures, the tailored or customized angular radiation patterns can be also made possible.     

Low operating-voltage and high power-efficiency OLED employing MoO3-doped CuPc as hole injection layer

Effects of doping molybdenum oxide (MoO₃) in copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) as hole injection layer in OLEDs are studied. A green OLED with structure of ITO/MoO₃-doped CuPc/NPB/10-(2-benzothiazolyl)-2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-1,1,7,7-tetramethyl-1H,5H, 11H-(1)-benzopyropyrano(6,7,8-i,j) quinolizin-11-one (C545T): tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq₃)/Alq₃/LiF/Al shows the driving voltage of 4.4 V, and power efficiency of 4.3 lm/W at luminance of 100 cd/m². The charge transfer complex between CuPc and MoO₃ plays a decisive role in improving the performance of OLEDs. The AFM characterization shows that the doped film owns a better smooth surface, which is also in good agreement with the electrical performance of OLEDs.     

Quantum chemical calculation study on terphenyl arylamines hole transport materials

The hole reorganization energy and excited states characteristics of N,N′‐bis(naphthalen‐1‐y)‐N,N′‐bis(phenyl)benzidine (NPB), phenyl arylamine, diphenyl arylamine (DP), and terphenyl arylamine (TP) are investigated using time‐dependent density functional theory. It is shown that the hole transport characteristics of the materials TP and DP are better than the commercially available materials NPB. The quantum chemical calculation method accesses a powerful tool by which the potential hole transport materials can be easy to screen out.     

High‐efficiency p‐i‐n organic light‐emitting diodes with long lifetime

Abstract— High‐performance organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) are promoting future applications of solid‐state lighting and flat‐panel displays. We demonstrate here that the performance demands for OLEDs are met by the PIN (p‐doped hole‐transport layer/intrinsically conductive emission layer/n‐doped electron‐transport layer) approach. This approach enables high current efficiency, low driving voltage, as well as long OLED lifetimes. Data on very‐high‐efficiency diodes (power efficiencies exceeding 70 lm/W) incorporating a double‐emission layer, comprised of two bipolar layers doped with tris(phenylpyridine)iridium [Ir(ppy)₃], into the PIN architecture are shown. Lifetimes of more than 220,000 hours at a brightness of 150 cd/m² are reported for a red PIN diode. The PIN approach further allows the integration of highly efficient top‐emitting diodes on a wide range of substrates. This is an important factor, especially for display applications where the compatibility of PIN OLEDs with various kinds of substrates is a key advantage. The PIN concept is very compatible with different backplanes, including passive‐matrix substrates as well as active‐matrix substrates on low‐temperature polysilicon (LTPS) or, in particular, amorphous silicon (a‐Si).     

Unlocking the potential of p-doped hole transport layers in inverted organic light emitting diodes

The MoO₃ doped N,N′-bis-(1-naphthyl)-diphenyl-1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-diamine (NPB:MoO₃ in 2:1 mass ratio) and 4,4′-N,N′-dicarbazole-biphenyl (CBP:MoO₃ in 2:1 mass ratio) as p-doped hole transport layers have been used in inverted organic light emitting diodes (IOLEDs). Compared to the NPB/20 nm NPB:MoO₃ structure, the NPB/10 nm CBP:MoO₃/10 nm NPB:MoO₃ structure showed increased device performance, mostly because the hole transport barrier from CBP:MoO₃ to NPB was smaller than that from NPB:MoO₃ to NPB; it also presented improved device performance than the NPB/20 nm CBP:MoO₃ structure, ascribed to the higher conductivity of NPB:MoO₃ than that of CBP:MoO₃. We provide a manageable way to unlock the merits of p-doped hole transport layers for markedly increasing the performance of IOLEDs.     

Efficiency enhancement of solution‐processed single‐layer blue‐phosphorescence organic light‐emitting devices having co‐host materials of polymer (PVK) and small‐molecule (SimCP2)

Abstract— A new type of single‐layer blue‐phosphorescence organic light‐emitting devices (OLEDs) containing poly(9‐vinylcarbazole) (PVK) and small‐molecule‐based amorphous ambipolar bis(3,5‐di(^9H‐carbazol‐9‐yl)phenyl) diphenylsilane (SimCP2) as the co‐host material have been demonstrated. All active materials [PVK, SimCP2, Flrpic (blue‐phosphorescence dopant), and OXD‐7 (electron transport)] were mixed in a single layer for solution processing in the fabrication of OLEDs. The SimCP2 small‐molecule host has adequate high electron and hole‐carrier mobiltieis of ～10^?4 cm²/V‐sec and a sufficiently large triplet state energy of ～2.70 eV in confining emission energy on FIrpic. Based on such an architecture for single‐layer devices, a maximum external quantum efficiency of 6.2%, luminous efficiency of 15.8 cd/A, luminous power efficiency of 11 lm/W, and Commision Internale de l'Eclairage (CIE^x,y) coordinates of (0.14,0.32) were achieved. Compared with those having PVK as the single‐host material, the improvement in the device performance is attributed to the balance of hole and electron mobilities of the co‐host material, efficient triplet‐state energy confinement on FIrpic, and the high homogeneity of the thin‐film active layer. Flexible blue‐phosphorescence OLEDs based on solution‐processed SimCP2 host material (withou PVK) have been demonstrated as well.     

Solution‐processable double‐layered ionic p‐i‐n organic light‐emitting diodes

Abstract— Solution‐processed double‐layered ionic p‐i‐n organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs), comprised of an emitting material layer doped with an organometallic green phosphor and a photo‐cross‐linked hole‐transporting layer doped with photo‐initiator is reported. The fabricated OLEDs were annealed using simultaneous thermal and electrical treatments to form a double‐layered ionic p‐i‐n structure. As a result, an annealed double‐layered OLED with a peak brightness over 20,000 cd/m² (20 V, 390 mA/cm²) and a peak efficiency of 15 cd/A (6 V, 210 cd/m²) was achieved.     

Thin‐film encapsulated white organic light top‐emitting diodes using a WO3/Ag/WO3 cathode to enhance light out‐coupling

An alternative design of a semitransparent cathode for top‐emission white‐fluorescent organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) has been investigated. The scope of this study was to improve the luminance of OLEDs used for displays while keeping the current density versus voltage characteristic unchanged for addressing purposes. The use of an optical simulation tool allowed the optimization of the tri‐layer cathode WO₃/Ag/WO₃ to increase the light out‐coupling coefficient of the device leading to an increased white emission compared with a reference device with a Ca/Ag cathode. An increase of ~40% in luminance has been calculated by simulation and experimentally confirmed. The p‐i‐n OLED structure underneath the tri‐layer cathode allowed an efficient injection of electrons independently from the work function of WO₃. The WO₃/Ag/WO₃ cathode has been also confirmed to be compatible with the atomic layer deposition technique for thin film encapsulation. Finally, lifetime measurements up to 600 h have been carried out to quantify the enhancements induced by the new cathode compared with the control device. It has been found that lifetimes of both cathode architectures are similar on this time scale, while the WO₃/Ag/WO₃ cathode shows a lower voltage drift versus aging.