Effect of bulk and planar heterojunctions based charge generation layers on the performance of tandem organic light-emitting diodes

Tandem organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) were fabricated using organic planar and bulk heterojunctions based charge generation layers (CGLs), which were composed of cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) and fullerene (C₆₀). The electroluminescent (EL) characteristics of these two kinds of devices were systematically studied. The results showed that, compared to the corresponding devices with planar heterojunction (PHJ) based CGL, the tandem OLEDs with bulk heterojunction (BHJ) based CGL exhibited a dramatic improvement of performance. By investigating the electrical characteristics of CGLs, it was found that more hetero-interfaces introduced in the BHJ blend were beneficial for generating more interfacial dipoles and charge carriers, and the optimized charge transport pathways were favorable to promote both electron and hole mobilities. As a result, the improved charge carrier balance led to the efficiency enhancement of device performance. The results demonstrated the advantageous effect of BHJ blend film for the rational design of CGLs on the realization of high OLEDs performance.     

Efficiency enhancement in tandem organic light-emitting devices with a hybrid charge generation layer composed of BEDT-TTF-doped TPBi/mCP/HAT-CN

Tandem organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) were fabricated with a hybrid organic charge generation layer (CGL) composed of bis(ethylenedithio)-tetrathiafulvalene (BEDT-TTF) doped 1,3,5-tris(N-phenylbenzimiazole-2-yl)benzene (TPBi), 1,3-bis(cabazol-9-yl)benzene (mCP), and 1,4,5,8,9,11-hexaazatriphenylene hexacarbonitrile (HAT-CN) in an attempt to enhance their current efficiency. While the operating voltage of the tandem OLEDs with a hybrid structure composed of BEDT-TTF-doped TPBi, mCP, and a HAT-CN CGL at 10 mA/cm² was 1 V lower than that of the tandem OLEDs with a typical CGL composed of BEDT-TTF-doped TPBi and a HAT-CN, the corresponding the current efficiency of the tandem OLEDs with a hybrid CGL at 10 mA/cm² was 2.9 cd/A higher than that of the tandem OLEDs with a typical CGL. The increase in the current efficiency and the decrease in the operating voltage of the tandem OLEDs with the hybrid CGL were attributed to enhanced electron injection due to the insertion of the mCP layer into the hybrid CGL.     

基于过渡金属氧化物薄膜为连接层的叠层有机电制发光器件的数值模型

By utilizing a two-step process to express the charge generation and separation mechanism of the transition metal oxides （TMOs） interconnector layer, a numerical model was proposed for tandem organic light emitting diodes （OLEDs） with a TMOs thin film as the interconnector layer. This model is valid not only for an n-type TMOs interconnector layer, but also for a p-type TMOs interconnector layer. Based on this model, the influences of different carrier injection barriers at the interface of the electrode/organic layer on the charge generation ability of interconnector layers were studied. In addition, the distribution characteristics of carrier concentration, electric field intensity and potential in the device under different carrier injection barriers were studied. The results show that when keeping one carrier injection barrier as a constant while increasing another carrier injection barrier, carri- ers injected into the device were gradually decreased, the carrier generation ability of the interconnector layer was gradually reduced, the electric field intensity at the interface of the organic/electrode was gradually enhanced, and the electric field distribution became nearly linear： the voltage drops in two light units gradually became the same. Meanwhile, the carrier injection ability decreased as another carrier injection barrier increased. The simulation re- sults agree with the experimental data. The obtained results can provide us with a deep understanding of the work mechanism of TMOs-based tandem OLEDs.     

Organic semiconductor heterojunction as charge generation layer in tandem organic light-emitting diodes for high power efficiency

High-performance tandem organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) employing a buffer-modified C₆₀/pentacene organic semiconductor heterojunction (OHJ) as a charge generation layer (CGL) are demonstrated. The unique cooperation of charge generation, transport, and extraction processes occurred in the OHJ-based CGL remarkably reduces the operational voltage. As a result, an approximately twofold enhancement in power efficiency (21.9 lm W^?1 VS 10.1 lm W^?1) can be achieved that has previously been suggested to be difficult for tandem OLEDs. When the pentacene is replaced by zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc), copper phthalocyanine (CuPc), or phthalocyanine (H₂Pc), a similar power efficiency improvement can be also achieved. The novel design concept of the buffer-modified OHJ-based CGL is superior to that of the conventional CGLs. The investigations on the operational mechanism are performed, from which it is found that the mobile charge carriers firstly are needed to be accumulated at both sides of the heterojunction interface and then transport along the two organic semiconductors in terms of their good carrier transport characteristics under an external electrical field, and finally inject into the corresponding electroluminescent (EL) units by the interfacial layers.     

AC-driven,color- and brightness-tunable organic light-emitting diodes constructed from an electron only device

In this paper, a color- and brightness-tunable organic light-emitting diode (OLED) is reported. This OLED was realized by inserting a charge generation layer into an electron only device to form an n-i-p-i-n structure. It is shown that, by changing the polarity of applied voltage, only the p-i-n junction operated under positive bias can emit light and, by applying an AC voltage, emission from both junctions was realized. It is also shown that, by using a combination of blue- and red-emiting layers in two p-i-n junctions, both the color and brightness of the resulting white OLED can be tuned independently by changing the positive and negative amplitudes of the AC voltage.     

Design of white tandem organic light-emitting diodes for full-color microdisplay with high current efficiency and high color gamut

Microdisplays based on organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have a small form factor, and this can be a great advantage when applied to augmented reality and virtual reality devices. In addition, a high-resolution microdisplay of 3000 ppi or more can be achieved when applying a white OLED structure and a color filter. However, low luminance is the weakness of an OLED-based microdisplay as compared with other microdisplay technologies. By applying a tandem structure consisting of two separate emission layers, the efficiency of the OLED device is increased, and higher luminance can be achieved. The efficiency and white spectrum of the OLED device are affected by the position of the emitting layer in the tandem structure and calculated via optical simulation. Each white OLED device with optimized efficiency is fabricated according to the position of the emitting layer, and red, green, and blue spectrum and efficiency are confirmed after passing through color filters. The optimized white OLED device with color filters reaches 97.8% of the National Television Standards Committee standard.     

Low driving voltage white organic light-emitting diodes with high efficiency and low efficiency roll-off

Single emission layer white organic light-emitting diodes (WOLEDs) showing high color stability, low turn-on voltage, high efficiency and low efficiency roll-off by incorporating iridium(III) bis[(4,6-difluo-rophenyl)-pyridinato-N,C2] (FIrpic) and bis(2-phenylbenzothiazolato) (acetylacetonate)iridium(III) (Ir(BT)₂(acac)) phosphors dyes have been demonstrated. Our WOLEDs without any out-coupling schemes as well as n-doping strategies show low operating voltages, low turn-on voltage (defined for voltage to obtain a luminance of 1 cd/m²) of 2.35 V, 79.2 cd/m² at 2.6 V, 940.5 cd/m² at 3.0 V and 10 300 cd/m² at 4.0 V, respectively, and achieve a current efficiency of 40.5 cd/A, a power efficiency of 42.6 lm/W at a practical brightness of 1000 cd/m², and a low efficiency roll-off 14.7% calculated from the maximum efficiency value to that of 5000 cd/m². Such improved properties are attributed to phosphors assisted carriers transport for achieving charge carrier balance in the single light-emitting layer (EML). Meanwhile the host–guest energy transfer and direct exciton formation process are two parallel pathways serve to channel the overall excitons to dopants, greatly reduced the unfavorable energy losses.     

A highly efficient,transparent and stable charge generation unit based on a p-doped monolayer

We demonstrate a highly efficient, transparent and stable charge generation unit (CGU) combining a p-doped hole transporting layer (HTL) with an electron extraction layer (EEL). The CGU exhibits high optical transparency of over 90% and good stability with little voltage variation under stress. We propose a working mechanism of CGU based on an investigation of the CGU-only devices excluding the influences of emitters. Holes and electrons are generated in the p-doped layer, while the EEL facilitates electron injection into the adjacent electron transporting layer. It is expected that this CGU is a promising candidate for easy-fabrication, low-power-consumption and high-stability tandem white OLED for future display and lighting application.     

ITO-free down-conversion white organic light-emitting diodes with structured color conversion layers for enhanced optical efficiency and color rendering

We report our study on white organic light-emitting diodes (WOLEDs) implemented in a down-conversion scheme based on an ITO-free, cavity-enhanced blue phosphorescent OLED and a micro-structured color conversion layer (CCL) containing red and green phosphors. Cavity resonance induced by a ZnS/Ag/MoO₃ anode structure enables both efficiency enhancement/spectral refinement of blue phosphorescent OLED. In accordance with the resonance-induced effect, outcoupling assistance provided by micro-structuring of CCLs works to yield WOLEDs with both high efficiency and illumination-quality color rendering. Highly flexible WOLEDs are also demonstrated in the proposed scheme and tested at a radius of curvature of 10.8 mm to illustrate its advantages in realizing versatile next-generation light sources.     

High efficiency phosphorescent white organic light-emitting diodes with an ultra-thin red and green co-doped layer and dual blue emitting layers

Phosphorescent white organic light emitting diodes (WOLEDs) with a multi-layer emissive structure comprising two separate blue layers and an ultra-thin red and green co-doped layer sandwiched in between have been studied. With proper host and dopant compositions and optimized layer thicknesses, high-performance WOLEDs having a power efficiency over 40 lm/W at 1000 cd/m² with a low efficiency roll-off have been produced. Through a systematic investigation of the exciton confinement and various pathways for energy transfer among the hosts and dopants, we have found that both the ultra-thin co-doped layer and two blue emitting layers play a vital role in achieving high device efficiency and controllable white emission.     

A hole transport material with ortho- linked terphenyl core structure for high power efficiency in blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

A hole transport material for use in blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes was developed using an ortho linked terphenyl core structure. The ortho linked terphenyl core was modified with ditolylamine to yield the N⁴,N⁴,N^4″,N^4″-tetra-p-tolyl-[1,1′:2′,1″-terphenyl]-4,4″-diamine (TTTDA) hole transport material. TTTDA was compared with common 1,3-bis(N-carbazolyl)benzene (mCP) and showed lower driving voltage and higher power efficiency than mCP. The driving voltage was decreased by as much as 1.5 V and the power efficiency was improved by 25%.     

Thermally activated delayed-fluorescence organic light-emitting diodes based on exciplex emitter with high efficiency and low roll-off

Highly efficient thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) based on exciplex are demonstrated in a blended system with commercially available 1,1-bis((di-4-tolylamino)phenyl)cyclohexane (TAPC) and 2,4,6-tris(biphenyl-3-yl)-1,3,5-triazine (T2T). By well adjusting the ratio between these two materials, the optimized device shows a low turn-on voltage of 2.4 V and a high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 11.6%. More importantly, the device retains an EQE of 9.4% even at a high luminescence of 1000 cd/m². The low efficiency roll-off is attributed to the small singlet-triplet splitting and the short of the delayed fluorescence lifetime. Both EQE and efficiency roll-off are ones of the best performance among the reported TADF OLEDs based on exciplex.     

基于LiF/Al/F4-TCNQ/NPB电荷产生层的叠层有机电致发光器件的特性研究

采用结构为LiF/Al/F4-TCNQ/NPB的电荷产生层,制备出了双发光单元叠层有机电致发光器件(OLED:Organic Light Emitting Device)。通过对比实验发现当F4-TCNQ层的厚度为8nm、Al层的厚度为5nm时,电荷产生层产生电荷的能力较强且具有良好的透光率。基于此,本文制备了发光层为CBP:6%Ir(ppy)3的叠层OLED,通过与单发光单元OLED的性能比较发现:采用LiF/Al/F4-TCNQ/NPB作为电荷产生层制备的叠层OLED的最大电流效率与功率效率分别为51.6cd/A、28.4lm/W,为单发光单元OLED的2.16倍、1.8倍,此外采用这种结构的电荷产生层有效解决了叠层OLED由于工作电压高而导致功率效率并未得到提升的问题;另一方面,采用有机材料F4-TCNQ代替传统无机金属氧化物作为电荷产生层中的电荷产生部分,能够避免无机金属氧化物高温升华对Al层薄膜的破坏,提升了器件的效率并且降低了器件的roll-off现象。     

High power efficiency in blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes using 2,4-substituted dibenzofuran with a carbazole and a diphenylphosphine oxide

A dibenzofuran derivative with a carbazole and a diphenylphosphine oxide at 2,4-positions of dibenzofuran was synthesized as the high triplet energy bipolar host material for high power efficiency in blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes. The device performances of 2,4-substituted dibenzofuran compound were compared with those of 2,8-substituted dibenzofuran. The 2,4 substitution was better than common 2,8-substitution in terms of driving voltage and power efficiency.     

Color stable and low driving voltage white organic light-emitting diodes with low efficiency roll-off achieved by selective hole transport buffer layers

White organic light-emitting diodes (WOLEDs) showing high color stability, low operating voltage, high efficiency and low efficiency roll-off by adopting different hole transport buffer layers which also behaves as electron/exciton blocking layers (EBL) have been developed. The characteristics of WOLEDs based on blue–green and orange phosphors could be easily manipulated by hole transport buffer layer, which tailors charge carrier transportation and energy transfer. Our WOLEDs show low operating voltages, 100 cd/m² at 3.2 V, 1000 cd/m² at 3.7 V and 10000 cd/m² at 4.8 V, respectively, and achieve a current efficiency of 35.0 cd/A, a power efficiency of 29.0 lm/W at a brightness of 1000 cd/m², and a low efficiency roll-off 8.7% calculated from the maximum efficiency value to that of 5000 cd/m².     

Ultra-simple hybrid white organic light-emitting diodes with high efficiency and CRI trade-off: Fabrication and emission-mechanism analysis

We present a simple hybrid white organic light-emitting diodes (WOLED) consisting of only two layers, i.e., a hole-transporting layer and an emitting layer. The emitting layer is formed by simply co-doping a green phosphor and a red phosphor in bis[2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-pyridine]beryllium (Bepp₂), which acts as the blue emitter, electron-transport material, and high triplet energy host for the phosphors, i.e., a multifunctional chromophore. This simple device exhibits a maximum power and quantum efficiency of 46.8 lm W⁻¹ and 16.5%, respectively, with a good CRI up to 90. The versatile experimental techniques are performed to gain a deep understanding of the emission mechanism. We believe that this simple design concept can provide a new avenue for achieving ultrahigh performance WOLEDs for lighting application.