High performance full color OLEDs based on a class of molecules with dual carrier transport channels and small singlet-triplet splitting

Deep Blue Emitter with a Combination of Hybridized Local and Charge Transfer Excited State and Aggregation-Induced Emission Features for Efficient Non-Doped OLED

Herein, a deep blue emitter (PI-TPB-CN) with a synergistic effect of hybridized local and charge transfer excited state (HLCT) and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties is successfully designed and synthesized to improve the performance of deep blue organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). It is constructed using a 1,2,4,5-tetraphenylbenzene (TPB) as an π-conjugated AIE core being asymmetrically functionalized with a phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole (PI) as a weak donor (D) and a benzonitrile (CN) as an acceptor (A), thereby formulating D-π-A type fluorophore. Its HLCT and AIE properties verified by theoretical calculations, solvatochromic effects, and transient photoluminescence decay experiments, bring about a strong blue emission (452 nm) with a high photoluminescence quantum yield of 74 % in the thin film. PI-TPB-CN is successfully employed as a blue emitter in OLEDs. Non-doped OLED with the structure of ITO/HAT-CN (6 nm)/NPB (30 nm)/TCTA (10 nm)/PI-TPB-CN (30 nm)/TPBi (40 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (100 nm) demonstrates excellent electroluminescence (EL) performance with blue emission (451 nm) and maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) of 7.38 %. The device with a thinner layer of PI-TPB-CN (20 nm) and TPBi (30 nm) exhibits a deeper blue emission (444 nm) with CIE coordinates of (0.156, 0.096), a low turn-on voltage of 3.0 V, and EQEmax of 6.45 %.

Understanding High Fluorescence Quantum Yield and Simultaneous Large Stokes Shift in Phenyl Bridged Donor-π-Acceptor Dyads with Varied Bridge Lengths in Polar Solvents

Photophysical properties of electron donor-π-acceptor (D-π-A) dyads for a given pair of D and A highly depend on the π-bridge type and length and also on the solvent polarity. In this work, first-principles calculations with optimally tuned range-separated hybrids are implemented to explore and understand the optical absorption and emission properties of recently synthesized novel D-π-A dyads with 1,2-diphenylphenanthroimidazole (PPI) as D and 1,2,4-triazolopyridine (TP) as A with varied phenyl π-bridge lengths (denoted as PPI-P_n-TP, n = 0-2 considered here) in solvents of different dielectrics. All three D-π-A dyads display almost an unaltered low-lying optical peak position and a red-shifted emission with increasing solvent polarity, corroborating well with the reported experimental observations. The observed emission shift was attributed to the stabilization of an intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) state by the polar solvent. Contrastingly, our calculations reveal no ICT; rather the shift is essentially originated from the substantial excited-state relaxation involving primarily rotation of the PPI phenyl ring directly linked to the π-bridge, leading to an almost planarized emissive state. Further, the greater frontier molecular orbital delocalization-driven high fluorescence rate together with increased structural rigidity of the emissive state rationalize the observed high fluorescence quantum yield. The present research findings not only are helpful to better understand the reported experimental observations but also show routes to molecularly design functional D-π-A molecules for advanced optoelectronic, sensing, and biomedical applications.

Multifunctional Materials Serving as Efficient Non-Doped Violet-Blue Emitters and Host Materials for Phosphorescence

Efficient multifunctional materials acting as violet-blue emitters, as well as host materials for phosphorescent OLEDs, are crucial but rare due to demand that they should have high first singlet state (S₁ ) energy and first triplet state (T₁ ) energy simultaneously. In this study, two new violet-blue bipolar fluorophores, TPA-PI-SBF and SBF-PI-SBF, were designed and synthesized by introducing the hole transporting moiety triphenylamine (TPA) and spirobifluorene (SBF) unit that has high T₁ into high deep blue emission quantum yield group phenanthroimidazole (PI). As the results, the non-doped OLEDs based on TPA-PI-SBF exhibited excellent EL performance with a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE_max ) of 6.76 % and a violet-blue emission with Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE) of (0.152, 0.059). The device based on SBF-PI-SBF displayed EQE_max of 6.19 % with CIE of (0.159, 0.049), which nearly matches the CIE coordinates of the violet-blue emitters standard of (0.131, 0.046). These EL performances are comparable to the best reported non-doped deep or violet-blue emissive OLEDs with CIEy<0.06 in recent years. Additionally, the green, yellow and red phosphorescent OLEDs with TPA-PI-SBF and SBF-PI-SBF as host materials achieved a high EQE_max of about 20 % and low efficiency roll-off at the ultra-high luminance of 10 000 cd m^-2 . These results provided a new construction strategy for designing high-performance violet-blue emitters, as well as efficient host materials for phosphorescent OLEDs.

Disentangling Multiple Effects on Excited-State Intramolecular Charge Transfer among Asymmetrical Tripartite PPI-TPA/PCz Triads

By utilizing the bipolarity of 1,2-diphenylphenanthroimidazole (PPI), two types of asymmetrical tripartite triads (PPI-TPA and PPI-PCz) were designed with triphenylamine (TPA) and 9-phenylcarbazole (PCz). These triads are deep-blue luminescent materials with a high fluorescence quantum yield of nearly 100 %. To trace the photophysical behaviors of these triads, their excited-state evolution channels and interchromophoric interactions were investigated by ultrafast time-resolved transient absorption and excited-state theoretical calculations. The results suggest that the electronic nature, asymmetrical tripartite structure, and electron-hole distance of these triads, as well as solvent polarity, determine the lifetime of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). Interestingly, PPI-PCz triads show anti-Kasha ICT, and the charge-transfer direction among the triads is adjustable. For the PPI-TPA triad, the electron is transferred from TPA to PPI, whereas for the PPI-PCz triad the electron is pushed from PPI to PCz. Exploration of the excited-state ICT in these triads may pave the way to design better luminescent materials in the future.

Synthesis of a new 1,3,4-thiadiazole-substituted phenanthroimidazole derivative, its growth on glass/ITO as a thin film and analysis of some surface and optoelectronic properties

A novel phenanthroimidazole derivative with p-type conductivity was prepared and fabricated as a heterostructure, exhibiting a negative differential resistance and photodiode properties.

Efficient blue electroluminescence with an external quantum efficiency of 9.20% and CIE y < 0.08 without excimer emission

Aromatically substituted phenanthroimidazoles at the C6 and C9 positions enhanced the thermal, photochemical and electroluminescence properties due to extension of conjugation. These new materials exhibit good photophysical properties with high thermal stability, good film-forming property and high luminous efficiency. The electroluminescence performances of C6 and C9 modified phenanthroimidazoles as host emitters were evaluated as well as the dopant in the fabricated devices. Among the non-doped devices, pyrene substituted PPI-Py or PPICN-Py based devices show maximum efficiency: PPI-Py/PPICN-Py: η c (cd A-1) - 9.20/9.98; η p (lm W-1) - 8.50/9.16; η ex (%) - 5.56/5.80. The doped OLEDs, m-MTDATA/TAPC:PPI-Cz (4.81/4.85%), m-MTDATA/TAPC:PPICN-Cz (5.23/5.26%), m-MTDATA/TAPC:PPI-An (5.01/5.04%), m-MTDATA/TAPC:PPICN-An (5.25/5.28%), m-MTDATA/TAPC:PPI-Py (5.61/5.65%) and m-MTDATA/TAPC:PPICN-Py (5.76/5.78%) show improved device efficiencies compared to non-doped devices. Designing C6/C9 modified phenanthrimidazole fluorophores is an efficient strategy for constructing highly efficient OLEDs.

Highly efficient non-doped blue fluorescent OLEDs with low efficiency roll-off based on hybridized local and charge transfer excited state emitters

Designing a donor–acceptor (D–A) molecule with a hybridized local and charge transfer (HLCT) excited state is a very effective strategy for producing an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) with a high exciton utilization efficiency and external quantum efficiency. Herein, a novel twisting D–π–A fluorescent molecule (triphenylamine–anthracene–phenanthroimidazole; TPAAnPI) is designed and synthesized. The excited state properties of the TPAAnPI investigated through photophysical experiments and density functional theory (DFT) analysis reveal that its fluorescence is due to the HLCT excited state. The optimized non-doped blue OLED using TPAAnPI as a light-emitting layer exhibits a novel blue emission with an electroluminescence (EL) peak at 470 nm, corresponding to the Commission International de L'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.15, 0.22). A fabricated device termed Device II exhibits a maximum current efficiency of 18.09 cd A⁻¹, power efficiency of 12.35 lm W⁻¹, luminescence of ≈29 900 cd cm⁻², and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 11.47%, corresponding to a high exciton utilization efficiency of 91%. Its EQE remains as high as 9.70% at a luminescence of 1000 cd m⁻² with a low efficiency roll-off of 15%. These results are among the best for HLCT blue-emitting materials involved in non-doped blue fluorescent OLEDs. The performance of Device II highlights a great industrial application potential for the TPAAnPI molecule.

A new pure fluorescent blue HLCT-emitter was designed and synthesized. Highly efficient non-doped blue OLEDs with low efficiency roll-off were achieved.

Efficient fluorescent OLEDS based on assistant acceptor modulated HLCT emissive state for enhancing singlet exciton utilization

Phenylamine phenanthroimidazole based bipolar compounds with donor-acceptor (D-A) architecture namely, 4-(1-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)-6,9-di(pyren-4-yl)-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazol-2-yl)-N,N-diphenylaniline (DDPPPA) and 4'-(1-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)-6,9-di(pyren-4-yl)-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazol-2-yl)-N,N-diphenyl-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-amine (DDPBA) have been synthesized with highly fluorescent pyrene moieties at C6- and C9-positions. The C6 and C9 modification enhanced the thermal, photochemical and electroluminescent properties. Both molecules were employed as blue emitters in non doped organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) and show high performances due to hybridized local and charge-transfer properties. An OLED with DDPPPA/DDPBA emissive layer shows deep-blue emission with maximum external quantum efficiency (η ex), current efficiency (η c) and power efficiency (η p) of 5.7/6.0%, 10.5/12.0 cd A-1 and 8.3/9.2 lm W-1, respectively. Both devices show high singlet exciton utilizing efficiency (η s) of DDPPPA-31.33% and DDPBA-35.29%. The doped device m-MTDATA:DDPPPA/m-MTDATA:DDPBA shows maximum efficiencies of η c -7.4/8.23 cd A-1; η p -5.8/6.13 lm W-1; η ex -4.72/5.63% (5 wt%):η c -8.36/9.15 cd A-1; η p -6.32/6.65 lm W-1; η ex -4.86/5.45% (10 wt%):η c -9.58/10.02 cd A-1; η p -7.8/8.25 lm W-1; η ex -5.96/6.25% (20 wt%). The doped device based on TAPC host TAPC:DDPPPA/TAPC:DDPBA exhibits maximum efficiencies of η c -9.60/10.03 cd A-1; η p -7.81/8.26 lm W-1; η ex -5.96/6.25% (20 wt%).

Regulation of Singlet and Triplet Excitons in a Single Emission Layer: Efficient Fluorescent/Phosphorescent Hybrid White Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

Two efficient fluorescent molecules, viz., (E)-2-(2-4-(1-2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)-4,5-diphenyl-H-imidazole-2-yl)-[1,1-biphenyl]-4-yl)vinyl-1-yl(naphthalene-1-yl)-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole (DDIBNPPI) and (E)-4-(2-(2-(-4'-1(2,3-dihyderobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)-4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazole-2-yl)-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)vinyl)-1H-phenanthr[9,10-d]imidazole-1-yl)-1-napthronitrile (DDIBPPIN), were designed and synthesized. DDIBNPPI and DDIBPPIN were obtained by rupturing the covalent bond of phenanthrimidazole core to prevent aggregation-induced quenching. In DDIBPPIN, naphthonitrile group was incorporated into azomethine nitrogen of phenanthrimidazole to enhance charge-transfer ability. The DDIBPPIN/CBP:DDIBPPIN-based device shows blue emission with η_c (current efficiency) of 4.91/4.10 cd/A, η_p (power efficiency) of 4.56/3.84 lm/W, and η_ex (external quantum efficiency) of 5.11/5.96%. The η_s (exciton utilization efficiency) values of DDIPNPPI and DDIBPPIN are of 27.0 and 30.3%, respectively. The DDIPNPPI and DDIBPPIN materials employed as a host to fabricate green and red phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes. The red/white devices (with 0.4% dopant concentration) with DDIBPPIN:Ir(MDQ)₂(acac) exhibit maximum L of 69889/26319 cd/m², η_ex of 19.6/16.6%, η_c of 34.6/35.6 cd/A, and η_p of 35.8/36.6 lm/W. The device with DDIBPPIN:Ir(ppy)₃/DDIPNPPI:Ir(ppy)₃ exhibits green emission [Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (0.30,0.60)/(0.30,0.60)] with maximum L of 69906/69482 cd/m², η_ex of 17.9/17.0%, η_c of 59.8/58.6 cd/A, and η_p of 63.6/61.3 lm/W. The white device using DDIBPPI:Ir(ppy)₃ (with 0.4% dopant concentration) exhibits maximum L of 22152 cd/m², η_ex of 15.8%, η_c of 31.4 cd/A, and η_p of 36.1 lm/W.

Nonsymmetrical Connection of Two Identical Building Blocks: Constructing Donor-Acceptor Molecules as Deep Blue Emitting Materials for Efficient Organic Emitting Diodes

We propose a strategy to construct deep blue emission molecules based on the concept of nonsymmetrical connection of two identical π-conjugated groups. It was demonstrated that the nonsymmetrical connection strategy indeed resulted in the separation of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and the formation of a donor-acceptor (D-A) structure. For D-A molecules constructed by two identical groups, the degree of charge transfer is weaker and deep blue emission is easily achieved. Two D-A molecules (PIpPI and PImPI) were synthesized by employing diphenyl-phenanthroimidazole (PI) as a building block. The nonsymmetric connection of PI groups endows these molecules with a D-A feature that can result in a bipolar transport property. The nondoped organic light-emitting diodes with PIpPI and PImPI as emitter exhibit deep-blue emission and maximum external quantum efficiencies of 8.84% and 6.83%, respectively.

Efficient electroluminescent hybridized local and charge-transfer host materials with small singlet–triplet splitting to enhance exciton utilization efficiency: excited state transition configuration

A series of efficient electroluminescent materials with dual carrier transport properties shows enhanced singlet exciton utilization (η_s) due to small singlet–triplet splitting (ΔE_ST). The strong orbital-coupling transitions of N-(4-(1-(1-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl)-4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)naphthalen-4-yl)phenyl)-N-phenyl benzenamine (DDPB) exhibit deep blue emission at 435 nm (CIEy, 0.07) with an external quantum efficiency of 2.01%. The electroluminescent efficiencies of 2-(1-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)naphthalen-4-yl)-1-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl)-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole (CDDPI) (L – 3992 cd m⁻²; η_ex – 3.01%; η_c – 2.56 cd A⁻¹; η_p – 2.12 lm W⁻¹) are higher than those of the N-(4-(1-(1-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl)-H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole-2-yl)naphthalen-4-yl)phenyl)-N-phenylbenzenamine (DBDPA) based device (L – 3015 cd m⁻²; η_ex – 2.85%; η_c – 2.01 cd A⁻¹; η_p – 1.92 lm W⁻¹). The blue emissive materials CDDPI and DBDPA are used as a host to construct green and red phosphorescent OLEDs: the green device based on CDDPI:Ir(ppy)₃ exhibits higher efficiencies (L – 8812 cd m⁻²; η_ex – 19.0%; η_c – 27.5 cd A⁻¹; η_p – 33.0 lm W⁻¹) at 2.7 V and the red device based on CDDPI:Ir(MQ)₂(acac) exhibits a maximum luminance of 39 661 cd m⁻² with excellent EL efficiencies [η_ex – 19.2%; η_c – 27.9 cd A⁻¹; η_p – 29.2 lm W⁻¹; CIE (0.64, 0.34)] compared with those of the DBDPA:Ir(MQ)₂(acac) based device [L – 37 621 cd m⁻²; η_ex – 18.5%; η_c – 25.2 cd A⁻¹; η_p – 25.8 lm W⁻¹; CIE (0.64, 0.34)].

CDDPI:Ir(ppy)₃ exhibits higher efficiencies: L = 8812 cd m⁻²; η_ex = 19.0%; η_c = 27.5 cd A⁻¹; η_p = 33.0 lm W⁻¹ at 2.7 V.

Strategic tuning of excited-state properties of electroluminescent materials with enhanced hot exciton mixing

Deep blue emitters with excellent stability, high quantum yield and multifunctionality are the major issues for full-color displays. In line with this, new multifunctional, thermally stable blue emitters viz., N-(4-(10-(1-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl)-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazol-2-yl)anthracen-9-yl)phenyl)-N-phenylbenzenamine (DPIAPPB) and 2-(10-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)anthracen-9-yl)-1-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl)-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole (CADPPI) with hybridized local charge transfer state (HLCT) and hot exciton properties have been synthesized. These molecules show high photoluminescence quantum yield (Φ_s/f): (DPIAPPB – 0.82/0.70 and CADPPI – 0.91/0.83). The CADPPI based device (EL – 467 nm) shows high efficiencies [η_c – 9.85 cd A⁻¹; η_p – 10.84 lm W⁻¹; η_ex – 4.78% at 2.8 V; CIE (0.15, 0.10)] compared to the DPIAPPB device (EL − 472 nm) [η_c – 6.56 cd A⁻¹; η_p – 6.16 lm W⁻¹; η_ex – 4.15% at 2.8 V with CIE (0.15, 0.12)]. The green device with CADPPI:Ir(ppy)₃ exhibits a maximum L – 59 012 cd m⁻²; η_ex – 16.8%; η_c – 37.3 cd A⁻¹; η_p – 39.8 lm W⁻¹ with CIE (0.30, 0.60) and the red device with CADPPI:Ir(MDQ)₂(acac) shows a maximum L – 43 456 cd m⁻²; η_ex – 21.9%; η_c – 36.0 cd A⁻¹; η_p – 39.6 lm W⁻¹ with CIE (0.64, 0.35).

The CADPPI:Ir(ppy)₃ device exhibits L – 90 12 cd m⁻²; η_ex – 18.8%; η_c − 27.3 cd A⁻¹; η_p – 29.8 lm W⁻¹; CIE (0.30, 0.60).

Efficient solid-state emission and reversible mechanofluorochromism of a tetraphenylethene-pyrene-based β-diketonate boron complex

A new twisted donor–acceptor (D–A) dye (BF₂-TP) that was composed of tetraphenylethene and pyrene connected with a β-diketonate boron moiety has been synthesized and characterized. Such a dye showed unique intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) features, which were evidenced by spectral analysis and theoretical calculations. More importantly, BF₂-TP solid samples exhibited an obvious mechanofluorochromic (MFC) behavior. Upon grinding with a spatula, the as-prepared powder sample illustrated a remarkable red shift of 62 nm, with considerable color contrast from yellow (562 nm) to orange red (624 nm). Its fluorescence color can be reversibly switched by repeating both the grinding–fuming and grinding–annealing processes. The mechanochromism is attributed to the phase transformation between amorphous and crystalline states. The results obtained would be helpful for designing novel MFC materials.

A new twisted dye (BF₂-TP) was synthesized, it possesses distinct mechanofluorochromism with large spectral shift of 62 nm.

Efficient full-colour organic light-emitting diodes based on donor–acceptor electroluminescent materials with a reduced singlet–triplet splitting energy gap

A series of efficient blue-emitting materials, namely, Cz-DPVI, Cz-DMPVI, Cz-DEPVI and TPA-DEPVI, possessing a donor–acceptor architecture with dual carrier transport properties and small singlet–triplet splitting is reported. These compounds exhibit excellent thermal properties with a very high glass-transition temperature (T_g), and thus, a stable uniform thin film was formed during device fabrication. Among the weak donor compounds, specifically, Cz-DPVI, Cz-DMPVI and Cz-DEPVI, the Cz-DEPVI-based device showed the maximum efficiencies (L: 13 955 cd m⁻², η_ex: 4.90%, η_c: 6.0 cd A⁻¹, and η_p: 5.4 lm W⁻¹) with CIE coordinates of (0.15, 0.06) at 2.8 V. The electroluminescent efficiencies of Cz-DEPVI were higher than that of the strong donor TPA-DEPVI-based device (L: 13 856 cd m⁻², η_ex: 4.70%, η_c: 5.7 cd A⁻¹, and η_p: 5.2 lm W⁻¹). Furthermore, these blue emissive materials were used as hosts to construct efficient green and red phosphorescent OLEDs. The green device based on Cz-DEPVI:Ir(ppy)₃ exhibited the maximum L of 8891 cd m⁻², η_ex of 19.3%, η_c of 27.9 cd A⁻¹ and η_p of 33.4 lm W⁻¹ with CIE coordinates of (0.31, 0.60) and the red device based on Cz-DEPVI:Ir(MQ)₂(acac) exhibited the maximum L of 40 565 cd m⁻², η_ex of 19.9%, η_c of 26.0 cd A⁻¹ and η_p of 27.0 lm W⁻¹ with CIE coordinates of (0.64, 0.37).

The Cz-DEPVI device showed high efficiencies of L: 13955 cd m⁻², η_ex: 4.90%, η_c: 6.0 cd A⁻¹, η_p: 5.4 lm W⁻¹ and CIE coordinates of (0.15, 0.06) at 2.8 V.

Efficient donor-acceptor host materials for green organic light-emitting devices: non-doped blue-emissive materials with dual charge transport properties

Comparative optical, electroluminescence and theoretical studies were performed for (E)-4'-(1-(4-(2-(1-(4-morpholinophenyl)-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazol-2-yl)vinyl)phenyl)-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazol-2-yl)-N,N-diphenyl-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-amine (SMPI-TPA) and (E)-4-(4-(2-(4-(2-(4-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazol-1-yl)styryl)-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazol-1-yl)phenyl)morpholine (SMPI-Cz). These compounds show excellent thermal properties, dual charge transport properties and form thin films under thermal evaporation. Blue OLEDs (CIE: 0.16, 0.08) based on SMPI-TPA show efficient device performance (η ex 6.1%; η c 5.3 cd A-1; η p 5.2 lm W-1) at low turn-on voltages. Both SMPI-TPA and SMPI-Cz were utilised as hosts for green OLEDs. The devices with SMPI-Cz (30 nm):5 wt% Ir(ppy)3 exhibit maximum luminance of 20 725 cd m-2, and η c and η p values of 61.4 cd A-1 and 63.8 lm W-1, respectively. In comparison, devices with SMPI-TPA (30 nm):5 wt% Ir(ppy)3 exhibit high η c and η p values of 65.2 cd A-1 and 67.1 lm W-1, respectively. Maximum η ex values of 19.6% and 23.4% were obtained from SMPI-TPA:Ir(ppy)3 and SMPI-Cz:Ir(ppy)3, respectively. These device performances indicate that the phenanthroimidazole unit is a tunable building unit for efficient carrier injection and it may also be employed as a host for green OLEDs.

EQE Climbing Over 6% at High Brightness of 14350 cd/m2 in Deep-Blue OLEDs Based on Hybridized Local and Charge-Transfer Fluorescence

Three deep-blue emitters PPi-Pid, PPi-Xid, and PPi-Mid based on a novel conjugated system phenantroimidazole-π-indolizine have been designed and synthesized. Here, indolizine with appropriate π-conjugation length was used as the acceptor profited from its high-photoluminescence quantum yield and good electron-withdrawing ability. Fluorescent organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) based on PPi-Pid, PPi-Xid, and PPi-Mid achieved deep-blue emissions with the Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage coordinates of (0.151, 0.076), (0.155, 0.052), and (0.153, 0.052); high brightness of 14350, 4377, and 4002 cd/m²; and high external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of 6.01, 3.90, and 4.28%, respectively. Moreover, it is noticeable that all of the devices exhibited efficiencies increasing with brightness. In particular, the PPi-Pid-based device exhibited high EQE over 6% at a high brightness of 14350 cd/m². Such high brightness along with high EQE is very rare whether in deep-blue fluorescent or thermally activated delayed fluorescent OLEDs.

Novel phenanthroimidazole-based blue AIEgens: reversible mechanochromism, bipolar transporting properties, and electroluminescence

Multifunctional materials are crucial and have promising applications in a wide range of organic electronics.

Achieving efficient violet-blue electroluminescence with CIE y <0.06 and EQE >6% from naphthyl-linked phenanthroimidazole-carbazole hybrid fluorophores

Naphthyl-linked donor–π–acceptor fluorophores were utilized to achieve high performance and good color purity violet-blue emission in organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs).

In this work, we revealed a new approach for the development of efficient violet-blue emitting materials featuring a hybrid local and charge transfer (HLCT) excited state through the incorporation of naphthyl group(s) as a weak n-type π spacer in a donor–π–acceptor (D–π–A) system. The resulting materials (TPINCz and TPIBNCz) show improved intramolecular charge transfer properties and highly efficient violet-blue fluorescence. It is demonstrated that the pattern of the π spacers has significant influence on the photophysical properties. The incorporation of a naphthyl/binaphthyl spacer between the donor and acceptor moieties can alleviate the common dilemma that enhancing device performance by increasing the charge transfer excited properties often leads to red-shifted emissions. A device using TPINCz as an emissive dopant shows a violet-blue emission with CIE coordinates of (0.153, 0.059) and a record high EQE of 6.56 ± 0.11% at a brightness of 1000 cd m^–2. To the best of our knowledge, this performance is the highest among the reported devices with CIE_y ≤0.08. Our study provides a new pathway for the design of high-performance violet-blue emitters with a D–π–A architecture in organic electroluminescence applications.

Efficient non-doped blue organic light-emitting diodes: donor–acceptor type host materials

Blue devices with phenanthroimidazole OMeNPI-PITPA show maximum efficiencies η_ex 4.90%; η_c 5.90 cd A⁻¹ and are used as hosts for green OLEDs.

Efficient non-doped deep-blue electroluminescence devices based on unsymmetrical and highly twisted pyrene derivatives

Pyrene derivatives with unsymmetrical and highly twisted structure appropriately confined the conjugation extent of molecules resulting in efficient deep-blue emissions.

Structure–property relationship of blue solid state emissive phenanthroimidazole derivatives

A series of phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole derivatives featuring multifunctional properties of ambipolar transport have been synthesized, a deep blue emission with high fluorescence quantum yield is observed, and the formation of thermally stable molecular glass is described.

High-Performance Blue OLEDs Based on Phenanthroimidazole Emitters via Substitutions at the C6- and C9-Positions for Improving Exciton Utilization

Donor-acceptor (D-A) molecular architecture has been shown to be an effective strategy for obtaining high-performance electroluminescent materials. In this work, two D-A molecules, Ph-BPA-BPI and Py-BPA-BPI, have been synthesized by attaching highly fluorescent phenanthrene or pyrene groups to the C6- and C9-positions of a locally excited-state emitting phenylamine-phenanthroimidazole moiety. Equipped with good physical and hybridized local and charge-transfer properties, both molecules show high performances as blue emitters in nondoped organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs). An OLED using Ph-BPA-BPI as the emitting layer exhibits deep-blue emission with CIE coordinates of (0.15, 0.08), and a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE), current efficiency (CE), and power efficiency (PE) of 4.56 %, 3.60 cd A(-1) , and 3.66 lm W(-1) , respectively. On the other hand, a Py-BPA-BPI-based, sky-blue OLED delivers the best results among nondoped OLEDs with CIEy values of < 0.3 reported so far, for which a very low turn-on voltage of 2.15 V, CIE coordinates of (0.17, 0.29), and maximum CE, PE, and EQE values of 10.9 cd A(-1) , 10.5 lm W(-1) , and 5.64 %, were achieved, respectively. More importantly, both devices show little or even no efficiency roll-off and high singlet exciton-utilizing efficiencies of 36.2 % for Ph-BPA-BPI and 39.2 % for Py-BPA-BPI.

Triplet-Polaron-Interaction-Induced Upconversion from Triplet to Singlet: a Possible Way to Obtain Highly Efficient OLEDs

Two D-A-type molecules, 4-N-[4-(9-phenylcarbazole)]-3,5-bis(4-diphenylamine)phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole and 4,4'-(9-(4-(1-phenyl-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazol-2-yl)phenyl)-9H-carbazole-3,6-diyl) bis-(N,N-diphenylaniline), are designed and synthesized. Organic lightemitting diodes based on them exhibit deep-blue emission and the singlet formation ratios are higher than the simple spin-statistics of 25%. A triplet-polaroninteraction-induced upconversion from triplet to singlet through a one-electron transfer mechanism is proposed, and is proven by magnetocurrent measurement and quantum-chemistry computation.

Structurally simple phenanthroimidazole-based bipolar hosts for high-performance green and red electroluminescent devices

Two structurally simple and easily synthesized phenanthroimidazole-based bipolar-transporting host materials realized efficient green and red phosphorescent OLEDs with low efficiency roll-off.

Photophysical properties of quinoxaline-fused [7]carbohelicene derivatives

The electronic circular dichroism, UV-Vis absorption, nonlinear optics, and charge transport properties of novel quinoxaline-fused 7-carbohelicene derivatives have been investigated for the first time.