Enhanced pure red electroluminescence intensity of Eu(o-BBA)3(phen) by red dye co-doping and inorganic semiconductor as charge carrier function layer

There is an emission peak at 494 nm in the electroluminescence (EL) of PVK [poly(n-vinylcarbazole)]: Eu(o-BBA)₃(phen) besides PVK exciton emission and Eu³⁺ characteristic emissions. Both the peaking at 494 nm emission and PVK emission influenced the color purity of red emission from Eu(o-BBA)₃(phen). In order to restrain these emissions and obtain high intensity red emission, 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-t-butyl-6-(1,1,7,7,-tetramethyljulolidy-9-enyl)-4Hpyran (DCJTB) and Eu(o-BBA)₃(phen) were co-doped in PVK solution and used as the active emission layer. The EL intensity of co-doped devices reached to 420 cd/m² at 20 V driving voltage. The chromaticity coordinates of EL was invariable (x = 0.55, y = 0.36) with the increase of driving voltage. For further improvement of EL intensity, organic–inorganic hybrid devices (ITO/active emission layer/ZnS/Al) were fabricated. The EL intensity was increased by a factor of 2.5 [(420 cd/m²)/(168 cd/m²)] when the Eu complex was doped with an efficient dye DCJTB, and by a factor of ≈4 [(650 cd/m²)/(168 cd/m²)] when in addition ZnS layer was deposited on such an emitting layer prior to evaporation of the Al cathode.     

Color stable white organic light-emitting diode based on a novel triazine derivative

A novel red–orange emitting material with a branched molecular structure, 2,4,6-tris[2-(N-ethyl-3-carbazole)carboxethenyl]-1,3,5-s-triazine (TC3), has been synthesized and characterized using UV–visible, photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL) spectroscopy. White EL devices were fabricated using TC3 as a red–orange emitter and 8-hydroxyquinolinolato lithium (Liq) as a blue–green emitter. N,N-bis(3-methylphenyl)-N,N-diphenylbenzidine (TPD) as the adjustor for charge carrier mobility was introduced between the two emitting layers to improve the stability of the white emission color on bias voltage. The EL devices of ITO/poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK):TC3 (56 nm)/TPD (5 nm)/Liq (30 nm)/Mg:Ag exhibited good quality white emission. The Commission Internationale De L’Eclairage chromaticity coordinates are (0.34, 0.39) and are stable on the bias voltage.     

Electrical and optical characteristics of phosphorescent organic light-emitting device with thin-codoped layer insertion

In this paper, we demonstrated the changes of electrical and optical characteristics of a phosphorescent organic light-emitting device (OLED) with tris(phenylpyridine)iridium Ir(ppy)₃ thin layer (4 nm) slightly codoped (1%) inside the emitting layer (EML) close to the cathode side. Such a thin layer helped for electron injection and transport from the electron transporting layer into the EML, which reduced the driving voltage (0.40 V at 100 mA/cm²). Electroluminescence (EL) spectral shift at different driving voltage was observed in our blue OLED with [(4,6-di-fluoropheny)-pyridinato-N,C^2′]picolinate (FIrpic) emitter, which came from the recombination zone shift. With the incorporation of thin-codoped Ir(ppy)₃, such EL spectral shift was almost undetectable (color coordinate shift (0.000, 0.001) from 100 to 10,000 cd/m²), due to the compensation of Ir(ppy)₃ emission at low driving voltage. Such a methodology can be applied to a white OLED which stabilized the EL spectrum and the color coordinates ((0.012, 0.002) from 100 to 10,000 cd/m²).     

Highly efficient Organic Light-Emitting Diodes from thermally activated delayed fluorescence using a sulfone–carbazole host material

Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) using the thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitter (4s,6s)-2,4,5,6-tetra(9H-carbazol-9-yl)isophthalonitrile (4CzIPN) are demonstrated using a novel ambipolar host 3,5-di(carbazol-9-yl)-1-phenylsulfonylbenzene (mCPSOB). When doped in a 5 wt.% concentration, OLEDs with EL efficiency values of more than 81 cd/A for current efficacy and 26.5% for external quantum efficiency are reported. These devices exhibit a low turn-on voltage of 3.2 V at 10 cd/m², as well as reduced efficiency roll-off at high current densities. To the best of our knowledge, these are among the highest ever reported efficiencies for TADF OLEDs, and are even comparable to the highest reported efficiencies for phosphorescent OLEDs.     

Spirobifluorene/sulfone hybrid: Highly efficient solution-processable material for UV–violet electrofluorescence,blue and green phosphorescent OLEDs

A high efficient UV–violet emission type material bis[4-(9,9′-spirobifluorene-2-yl)phenyl] sulfone (SF-DPSO) has been synthesized by incorporating electron deficient sulfone and morphologically stable spirobifluorene into one molecule. The steric and bulky compound SF-DPSO exhibits an excellent solid state photoluminescence quantum yield (Φ_PL = 92%), high glass transition temperature (T_g = 211 °C) and high triplet energy (E_T = 2.85 eV). In addition, the uniform amorphous thin film could be formed by spin-coating from its solution. These promising physical properties of the material made it suitable for using as UV–violet emitter in non-doped device and appropriate host in phosphorescent OLEDs. With SF-DPSO as an emitter, the non-doped solution processed device achieved an efficient UV–violet emission with the EL peak around 400 nm. By using SF-DPSO as a host, solution processed blue and green phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes showed a high luminous efficiency of 13.7 and 30.2 cd A⁻¹, respectively.     

Transparent Al/WO3/Au film as anode for high efficiency organic light-emitting diodes

A transparent Al/WO₃/Au anode is introduced to fabricate high efficiency organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs). By optimizing the thicknesses of each layers of the Al/WO₃/Au structure, the transmittance of Al(7 nm)/WO₃(3 nm)/Au(13 nm) has reached over 55%. Concerning the performance of OLEDs using the optimized anode, the electroluminescence (EL) current efficiency and brightness are enhanced and the EL spectrum is greatly narrowed as compared to the OLEDs using indium-tin-oxide (ITO) as the anode. The results indicate that the metal/metal oxide/metal transparent electrode is a good structure for the anode of high performance OLEDs. In addition, Al/WO₃/Au can function as a composite transparent electrode for top-emitting OLEDs.     

The electroluminescence mechanism of non-doping PhOLEDs based on CBP/Ir(ppy)3 investigated by delayed EL measurements

In this paper, the non-doped PhOLED based on 4,4′-bis(9-carbazolyl)-1,1′-biphenyl(CBP) and fac-tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium(Ir(ppy)₃) with the emitting layer of [CBP/Ir(ppy)₃]_n/CBP in which n is equal to 2,3,4 and 5, respectively, are prepared. The electroluminescence and the luminance-voltage-current density characteristics of devices are detected. The wavelength range of these devices is varied from 517 nm to 540 nm. And the delay EL measurements are used to elucidate the carrier recombination and light emission mechanism in non-doped PhOLEDs. In this technique, the devices are driven using a square pulse driving scheme, with a forward bias pulse width of 1 ms, which is sufficiently long for prompt EL to reach its steady-state intensity. The delay EL results show that changing the number of the non-doped EML leads to marked changes in the charge-trapping and host–host TTA patterns, which suggests that the carrier transport and recombination processes depends on the number of non-doped EML. When the number of non-doped EML is less than 3, only the trapped carrier recombination signal are detected in the delay EL measurement. For the devices with more non-doped EML than 3, both the trapped carrier recombination and host–host TTA signal are detected. All these results are discussed and give the evidence for the electroluminescence mechanism of prepared devices.     

Solution-processable and thermal-stable triphenylamine-based dendrimers with truxene cores as hole-transporting materials for organic light-emitting devices

Two solution processable π-conjugated triphenylamine-based dendrimers, Tr-TPA3 and Tr-TPA9 were served as hole-transporting materials (HTMs) for organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs). The two dendrimers exhibit similar absorption and emission behaviors in solutions and thin films, which demonstrate that these dendrimers can form amorphous states in their films. The dendrimers showed excellent solubility, which are soluble in common organic solvents such as chloroform, tetrahydrofuran, and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, high thermal stability with high glass-transition temperature (T_g) of 115 °C for Tr-TPA3 and 140 °C for Tr-TPA9, high the highest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level (?5.12 eV for Tr-TPA3 and ?4.95 eV for Tr-TPA9, respectively) and good film forming property. When we employed these dendrimers as hole transport layer (HTL) in tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq₃)-emitting electroluminescence (EL) devices, the Tr-TPA9-based double-layer device exhibited the turn-on voltage of 2.5 V, the maximum luminance of about 11,058 cd m^?2 and the maximum current efficiency of 4.01 cd A^?1. The comparison of the properties between the EL devices with dendrimers as HTL and the EL device with 1,4-bis(1-naphthylphenylamino)biphenyl (NPB) as HTL indicated that this series of dendrimers can be good candidates for HTM in OLEDs.     

Blue light-emitting OLED using new spiro[fluorene-7,9′-benzofluorene] host and dopant materials

A new spiro-type compound, 2-(10-biphenylanthracene)-spiro[fluorene-7,9′-benzofluorene] (BH-3B) containing anthracene moiety was prepared for the blue host material. Also new dopant materials, 2-[4′-(phenyl-4-vinylbenzeneamine)phenyl-spiro[fluorene-7,9′-benzofluorene] (BH-3BD) and 4-[2-naphthyl-4′(phenyl-4-vinylbenzeneamine)]phenyl (BD-1N) were successfully synthesized and a blue OLEDs were made from them. The structure of the device was as follows; ITO/DNTPD/α-NPD/Host:5% dopant/Alq₃/Al-LiF. Among all of the devices, the device obtained from BH-3B host doped with 5% BH-3BD showed the best electroluminescence characteristics. The emission peak of EL is at 456 nm and the CIE value is (0.15, 0.14). The brightness of the device is up to 5407 cd/m² at 10 V with the maximum EL efficiency of 3.4 cd/A.     

Structural characterization of Zn1−xCdxO (0≤x≤0.20) microrods grown by spray pyrolysis

Zn_1−xCd_xO (x= 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20) thin films were obtained by spray pyrolysis and characterized by XRD, SEM, EDAX and optical measurements. The Zn_1−xCd_xO microrods are in the wurtzite crystallographic phase with (0 0 2) preferred orientation. A narrowing of the fundamental band gap from 3.30 to 3.10 eV was observed with the increasing nominal Cd content up to 20 at% due to the direct modulation of the band gap caused by Cd substitution. The undoped ZnO film showed two emission bands in the spectra: one sharp UV luminescence at ∼382 nm and one broad visible emission ranging from 430 to 600 nm. The sharp peak at ∼382 nm is split into two at 376 and 400 nm upon Cd doping at levels of 5 and 10 at%. However this splitting is not observed in the doped ZnO samples containing 15 at% Cd and more. It should also be mentioned that the broad peak at the range of 430–600 nm has almost disappeared in the films containing 5, 10 and 15 at% Cd.     

Synthesis,characterization and high-efficiency blue electroluminescence based on coumarin derivatives of 7-diethylamino-coumarin-3-carboxamide

A novel tripodal compound, tris[2-(7-diethylamino-coumarin-3-carboxamide)ethyl]amine (tren-C), and a model compound, N-butyl-7-(diethylamino)-coumarin-3-carboxamide, were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared and ¹H NMR spectra. The structure of the model compound was characterized by single crystal X-ray crystallography. The electroluminescence devices of ITO/2-TNATA (5 nm)/NPB (40 nm)/CBP: tren-C or model compound (wt%, 30 nm)/Bu-PBD (30 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (100 nm) were fabricated and characterized. The EL spectra of the devices comprising vacuum vapour-deposited films using tren-C as a dopant are similar to the PL spectrum of tren-C in chloroform solutions. At the concentration of 0.5 wt% tren-C, a blue-emitting OLED with an emission peak at 464 nm, a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 1.39% and a maximum luminous efficiency of 2 cd/A at the current density of 20 mA/cm², and a maximum luminance of 1450 cd/m² at 12 V are achieved.     

A flexible moisture barrier comprised of a SiO2-embedded organic–inorganic hybrid nanocomposite and Al2O3 for thin-film encapsulation of OLEDs

We demonstrated a high performance flexible multi-barrier containing a silica nanoparticle-embedded organic–inorganic hybrid (S–H) nanocomposite and Al₂O₃. The multi-barrier was prepared by low-temperature Al₂O₃ atomic layer deposition and with a spin-coated S–H nanocomposite. The moisture barrier properties were investigated with a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), estimated by a Ca test at 30 °C, 90% R.H.. Moisture diffusion was effectively suppressed by the sub-700 nm thick multi-barrier incorporating well-dispersed silica nanoparticles in the organic layer. A low WVTR of 1.14 × 10^?5 g/m² day and average transmittance of 85.8% in the visible region were obtained for the multi-barrier. After bending under tensile stress mode, the moisture barrier property of the multi-barriers was retained. The multi-barrier was successfully applied to thin-film encapsulation of OLEDs. The thin-film encapsulated OLEDs showed practicable current–voltage–luminance (I–V–L) characteristics and stable real operation over 700 h under ambient conditions.     

Efficient and stable red organic light emitting devices from a tetradentate cyclometalated platinum complex

An efficient and stable red phosphorescent organic light emitting diode was developed using a tetradentate cyclometalated platinum complex. Devices employing the phosphorescent molecule, platinum(II)-9-(4-methylpyridin-2-yl)-2-(3-(quinolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-9H-carbazole (PtON11Me), yielded high external quantum efficiencies and high operational lifetimes. A maximum EQE of 12.5% and color coordinates CIE (x = 0.61, y = 0.36) was achieved in devices employing efficient hole blocking and transporting materials and a high operational lifetime of T_0.97 ∼ 3200 h was achieved in devices utilizing electrochemically stable hole blocking and transporting materials.     

A novel dimesitylboron-substituted indolo[3,2-b]carbazole derivative: Synthesis,electrochemical, photoluminescent and electroluminescent properties

A novel indolo[3,2-b]carbazole derivative containing B(Mes)₂ groups, 5,11-dibutyl-2,8-bis(dimesitylboryl) indolo[3,2-b]carbazole (DBDMBICZ), was synthesized and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, NMR, MS. The thermal, electrochemical and photophysical properties of DBDMBICZ were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, electrochemical methods, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. DBDMBICZ exhibited high fluorescence quantum yields (Φ_max = 0.76) in solution and excellent thermal stability (T_d = 290 °C, T_g = 170 °C) and electrochemical stability. The multi-layered OLEDs devices with the configuration of ITO/NPB/CBP/light-emitting layer/Bphen/LiF/Al are fabricated by using DBDMBICZ as light-emitting layer. The devices show the same pure blue emissions at different voltages and relative good electroluminescent performances. The results indicate that DBDMBICZ has potential applications as an excellent optoelectronic material in optical field.     

Efficient blue emitting organic light emitting diodes based on fluorescent solution processable cyclic phosphazenes

Solution processable blue fluorescent dendrimers based on cyclic phosphazene (CP) cores incorporating amino-pyrene moieties have been prepared and used as emissive layers in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). These dendrimers have high glass transition temperatures, are monodisperse, have high purity via common chromatographic techniques, and form defect-free amorphous films via spin/dip coating. The solution processable blue light emitting OLEDs reach current efficiencies of 3.9 cd/A at brightness levels near 1000 cd/m². Depending on the molecular bridge used to attach the fluorescent dendron to the inorganic core, the emission wavelength changes from 470 to 545 nm, corresponding to blue and green light respectively. Via dilution experiments we show that this shift in emission wavelength is likely associated with molecular stacking of the amino-pyrene units.     

Effect of cobalt substitution on the optical properties of bismuth ferrite thin films

Effect of cobalt substitution on the band gap and absorption coefficient of the BiFeO₃ thin films formed on quartz substrate by low cost spin coating method have been investigated. BiFe_1−xCo_xO₃ (x=0, 0.03, 0.06 and 0.10) thin films are polycrystalline and it retains the rhombohedral distorted perovskite structure up to 10 mole % of Co substitution. Smooth and compact surface morphology with uniform size particles are observed in SEM micrographs. Narrowing and broadening of band gap is observed as a function of Co content. Two strong emission peaks at ~2.51 eV and ~2.38 eV are recorded for all films with noticeable change in intensity. Results obtained from the optical absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy experiments have shown that there exists an inverse correlation between the variation in the band gap and the concentration of oxygen vacancies. Band gap decreased by ~100 meV and absorption coefficient increased by 28% at the wavelength of 375 nm in 6 mole % Co substituted thin film and these observations are necessary requirements to improve the efficiency of photovoltaic devices.     

Functionalized terfluorene for solution-processed high efficiency blue fluorescence OLED and electrophosphorescent devices

A new multifunctional blue-emitting terfluorene derivative (TFDPA) featured with triphenylamine groups for hole-transportation and long alkyl chains for solution processability on the conjugation inert bridge centers was reported. TFDPA can give homogeneous thin film by solution process and exhibits high hole mobility (μ_h ≈ 10^?3 cm² V^?1 s^?1) and suitable HOMO for hole injection. Particularly, TFDPA performs efficient deep-blue emission with high quantum yield (～100% in solution, 43% in thin film) and suitable triplet energy (E_T = 2.28 eV), making solution-processed OLED devices of using TFDPA as blue emitter and as host for iridium-containing phosphorescent dopants feasible. The solution-processed nondoped blue OLED device gives saturated deep-blue electroluminescence [CIE = (0.17, 0.07)] with EQE of 2.7%. TFDPA-hosted electrophosphorescent devices performed with EQE of 6.5% for yellow [(Bt)₂Ir(acac)], 9.3% of orange [Ir(2–phq)₃], and 6.9% of red [(Mpq)₂Ir(acac)], respectively. In addition, with careful control on the doping concentration of [(Bt)₂Ir(acac)], a solution-processed fluorescence–phosphorescence hybrided two-color-based WOLED with EQE of 3.6% and CIE coordinate of (0.38, 0.33) was successfully achieved.     

Thickness dependent barrier performance of permeation barriers made from atomic layer deposited alumina for organic devices

Organic devices like organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) or organic solar cells degrade fast when exposed to ambient air. Hence, thin-films acting as permeation barriers are needed for their protection. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is known to be one of the best technologies to reach barriers with a low defect density at gentle process conditions. As well, ALD is reported to be one of the thinnest barrier layers, with a critical thickness – defining a continuous barrier film – as low as 5–10 nm for ALD processed Al₂O₃. In this work, we investigate the barrier performance of Al₂O₃ films processed by ALD at 80 °C with trimethylaluminum and ozone as precursors. The coverage of defects in such films is investigated on a 5 nm thick Al₂O₃ film, i.e. below the critical thickness, on calcium using atomic force microscopy (AFM). We find for this sub-critical thickness regime that all spots giving raise to water ingress on the 20 × 20 μm² scan range are positioned on nearly flat surface sites without the presence of particles or large substrate features. Hence below the critical thickness, ALD leaves open or at least weakly covered spots even on feature-free surface sites. The thickness dependent performance of these barrier films is investigated for thicknesses ranging from 15 to 100 nm, i.e. above the assumed critical film thickness of this system. To measure the barrier performance, electrical calcium corrosion tests are used in order to measure the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), electrodeposition is used in order to decorate and count defects, and dark spot growth on OLEDs is used in order to confirm the results for real devices. For 15–25 nm barrier thickness, we observe an exponential decrease in defect density with barrier thickness which explains the likewise observed exponential decrease in WVTR and OLED degradation rate. Above 25 nm, a further increase in barrier thickness leads to a further exponential decrease in defect density, but an only sub-exponential decrease in WVTR and OLED degradation rate. In conclusion, the performance of the thin Al₂O₃ permeation barrier is dominated by its defect density. This defect density is reduced exponentially with increasing barrier thickness for alumina thicknesses of up to at least 25 nm.     

Analysis of traps effect on AlGaN/GaN HEMT by luminescence techniques

The study is carried out on AlGaN/GaN HEMTs presenting current collapse effect at V_ds lower than 6 V. This effect is completely recovered by illuminating the component with light of 710 nm wavelength (1.75 eV). The spectral analysis of the light emission in the visible near infrared spectrum shows a bell-shape with superimposed distinct emission peaks. These features suggest that the electroluminescence (EL) signal is due to the direct intraband of electrons and inelastic intraband transition of electrons due to scattering by charged centres. Photoionisation experiments have been conducted to determine the light wavelengths/energies that separately change the drain current and the gate leakage current.