Direct identification of interfacial degradation in blue OLEDs using nanoscale chemical depth profiling

Understanding the degradation mechanism of organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) is essential to improve device performance and stability. OLED failure, if not process-related, arises mostly from chemical instability. However, the challenges of sampling from nanoscale organic layers and interfaces with enough analytical information has hampered identification of degradation products and mechanisms. Here, we present a high-resolution diagnostic method of OLED degradation using an Orbitrap mass spectrometer equipped with a gas cluster ion beam to gently desorb nanometre levels of materials, providing unambiguous molecular information with 7-nm depth resolution. We chemically depth profile and analyse blue phosphorescent and thermally-activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) OLED devices at different degradation levels. For OLED devices with short operational lifetimes, dominant chemical degradation mainly relate to oxygen loss of molecules that occur at the interface between emission and electron transport layers (EML/ETL) where exciton distribution is maximised, confirmed by emission zone measurements. We also show approximately one order of magnitude increase in lifetime of devices with slightly modified host materials, which present minimal EML/ETL interfacial degradation and show the method can provide insight for future material and device architecture development.

Effect of trifluoroacetic acid on InP/ZnSe/ZnS quantum dots: mimicking the surface trap and their effects on the photophysical properties

Understanding the precise effects of defects on the photophysical properties of quantum dots (QDs) is essential to their development with near-unity luminescence. Because of the complicated nature of defects in QDs, the origins and detailed roles of the defects still remain rarely understood. In this regard, we used detailed chemical analysis to investigate the effect of surface defects on the optical properties of InP/ZnSe/ZnS QDs by introducing shell defects through controlled trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) etching. TFA treatment on the InP/ZnSe/ZnS QDs partially removed the ZnS shell as well as ligands and reduced the quantum yield by generating energetically deep surface traps. The surface defects of QDs by TFA cause charged trap sites inducing an Auger recombination process with a rate of ca. 200 ps. Based on these results, we proposed possible trap-assisted non-radiative decay pathways between the band-edge state and surface deep traps in InP/ZnSe/ZnS QDs.

Pt cocatalyst morphology on semiconductor nanorod photocatalysts enhances charge trapping and water reduction

In photocatalysis, metal-semiconductor hybrid structures have been proposed for ideal photocatalytic systems. In this study, we investigate the effect of morphology and surface nature of Pt cocatalysts on photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity in Pt-tipped CdSe nanorods. Three distinct morphologies of Pt cocatalysts were synthesized and employed as visible light photocatalysts. The rough tips exhibit the highest activity, followed by the round and cubic tips. Kinetic investigations using transient absorption spectroscopy reveal that the cubic tips exhibit lower charge-separated states feasible for reacting with water and water reduction rates due to their defectless surface facets. In contrast, the rough tips show a similar charge-separation value but a two-fold higher surface reaction rate than the round tips, resulting in a significant enhancement of hydrogen evolution. These findings highlight the importance of rational design on metal cocatalysts in addition to the main semiconductor bodies for maximizing photocatalytic activities.

Probing twisted intramolecular charge transfer of pyrene derivatives as organic emitters in OLEDs

Intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) plays a critical role in determining the photophysical properties of organic molecules, including their luminescence efficiencies. Twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) is a process in which...

Increasing the Energy Gap between Band-Edge and Trap States Slows Down Picosecond Carrier Trapping in Highly Luminescent InP/ZnSe/ZnS Quantum Dots

Non-toxic InP-based nanocrystals have been developed for promising candidates for commercial optoelectronic applications and they still require further improvement on photophysical properties, compared to Cd-based quantum dots (QDs), for better device efficiency and long-term stability. It is, therefore, essential to understand the precise mechanism of carrier trapping even in the state-of-the-art InP-based QD with near-unity luminescence. Here, it is shown that using time-resolved spectroscopic measurements of systematically size-controlled InP/ZnSe/ZnS core/shell/shell QDs with the quantum yield close to one, carrier trapping decreases with increasing the energy difference between band-edge and trap states, indicating that the process follows the energy gap law, well known in molecular photochemistry for nonradiative internal conversion between two electronic states. Similar to the molecular view of the energy gap law, it is found that the energy gap between the band-edge and trap states is closely associated with ZnSe phonons that assist carrier trapping into defects in highly luminescent InP/ZnSe/ZnS QDs. These findings represent a striking departure from the generally accepted view of carrier trapping mechanism in QDs in the Marcus normal region, providing a step forward understanding how excitons in nanocrystals interact with traps, and offering valuable guidance for making highly efficient and stable InP-based QDs.

Spectroscopic Diagnosis of Excited-State Aromaticity: Capturing Electronic Structures and Conformations upon Aromaticity Reversal

Aromaticity, the special energetic stability derived from cyclic [4 n + 2]π-conjugated electronic structures, has been the topic of intense interest in chemistry because it plays a critical role in rationalizing molecular stability, reactivity, and physical/chemical properties. Recently, the pioneering work by Colin Baird on aromaticity reversal, postulating that aromatic (antiaromatic) character in the ground state reverses to antiaromatic (aromatic) character in the lowest excited triplet state, has attracted much scientific attention. The completely reversed aromaticity in the excited state provides direct insight into understanding the photophysical/chemical properties of photoactive materials. In turn, the application of aromatic molecules to photoactive materials has led to numerous studies revealing this aromaticity reversal. However, most studies of excited-state aromaticity have been based on the theoretical point of view. The experimental evaluation of aromaticity in the excited state is still challenging and strenuous because the assessment of (anti)aromaticity with conventional magnetic, energetic, and geometric indices is difficult in the excited state, which practically restricts the extension and application of the concept of excited-state aromaticity. Time-resolved optical spectroscopies can provide a new and alternative avenue to evaluate excited-state aromaticity experimentally while observing changes in the molecular features in the excited states. Time-resolved optical spectroscopies take advantage of ultrafast laser pulses to achieve high time resolution, making them suitable for monitoring ultrafast changes in the excited states of molecular systems. This can provide valuable information for understanding the aromaticity reversal. This Account presents recent breakthroughs in the experimental assessment of excited-state aromaticity and the verification of aromaticity reversal with time-resolved optical spectroscopic measurements. To scrutinize this intriguing and challenging scientific issue, expanded porphyrins have been utilized as the ideal testing platform for investigating aromaticity because they show distinct aromatic and antiaromatic characters with aromaticity-specific spectroscopic features. Expanded porphyrins exhibit perfect aromatic and antiaromatic congener pairs having the same molecular framework but different numbers of π electrons, which facilitates the study of the pure effect of aromaticity by comparative analyses. On the basis of the characteristics of expanded porphyrins, time-resolved electronic and vibrational absorption spectroscopies capture the changes in electronic structure and molecular conformations driven by the change in aromaticity and provide clear evidence for aromaticity reversal in the excited states. The approaches described in this Account pave the way for the development of new and alternative experimental indices for the evaluation of excited-state aromaticity, which will enable overarching and fundamental comprehension of the role of (anti)aromaticity in the stability, dynamics, and reactivity in the excited states with possible implications for practical applications.

Retrieving aromaticity of dithiadiazuliporphyrin by oxidation: illustration by experimental and theoretical investigation

The photophysical properties of neutral, monocation radical, and dication of dithiadiazuliporphyrin have been examined with a particular focus on their aromaticity.

Switchable π-electronic network of bis(α-oligothienyl)-substituted hexaphyrins between helical versus rectangular circuit

The switching phenomena of conformation with π-electronic network through deprotonation–protonation processes were investigated by employing a series of 5,20-bis(α-oligothienyl) substituted hexaphyrins(1.1.1.1.1.1).

The switching phenomena of conformation with π-electronic network through deprotonation–protonation processes were investigated by employing a series of 5,20-bis(α-oligothienyl) substituted hexaphyrins(1.1.1.1.1.1). They showed significant changes in the absorption and emission spectra with deprotonation, and returned to the initial state with protonation. Through NMR measurements and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, we found that the 5,20-bis(α-oligothienyl) substituted hexaphyrins, which possess acyclic, helical electronic networks involving oligothienyl chains in dumbbell conformations (type-I) in a neutral form, underwent effective deprotonation upon treatment with tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF) to generate the corresponding dianions, which display cyclic electronic networks with enhanced aromaticity in rectangular conformations (type-II). Our quantum calculation results provide an unambiguous description for the switchable conformation and π-conjugation, which revealed that a deprotonation-induced enhanced aromatic conjugation pathway is involved in the switchable π-electronic network.

Switching between Aromatic and Antiaromatic 1,3-Phenylene-Strapped [26]- and [28]Hexaphyrins upon Passage to the Singlet Excited State

We have demonstrated aromaticity reversal in the singlet excited states of internally 1,3-phenylene-strapped [26]- and [28]hexaphyrins (P26H and P28H). P26H displays a broad and reduced singlet-excited-state absorption spectrum, whereas P28H exhibits a sharp and intense singlet-excited-state absorption spectrum; both are in contrast to the ground-state absorption spectra, strongly indicating aromaticity reversal in the singlet excited state. Furthermore, magnetic and topological indices of aromaticity such as nucleus-independent chemical shift and harmonic oscillator model of aromaticity values for P26H and P28H also suggest that their singlet excited states become antiaromatic and aromatic, respectively.

Control of the conformational dynamics of meso–meso vinylene-bridged Zn(ii) porphyrin dimers through diamine coordination

Two meso–meso vinylene-bridged Zn(ii) porphyrin dimers 1 and 2 were analyzed in terms of the control of their conformational dynamics induced by the rotation around the double bond bridge.

The effect of π-conjugation in the macrocyclic ring on the photophysical properties of a series of thiaaceneporphyrinoids

In a series of thiaaceneporphyrinoids, their conformers exhibit macrocyclic π-conjugation pathways controlled by a dihedral angle between the porphyrin framework and acene planes.

Long-lived charge-separated states produced in supramolecular complexes between anionic and cationic porphyrins

Photoinduced electron transfer in a porphyrin supramolecule occurs to produce an 83 ms CS state.

Photophysical properties of bridged core-modified hexaphyrins: conjugational perturbation of thiophene bridges

The role of thiophene bridges in determining the photophysical properties of bridged core-modified hexaphyrins is investigated.

Fundamental electrochemiluminescence characteristics of fluorine-doped tin oxides synthesized by sol-gel combustion

Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) materials synthesized by sol-gel combustion method were investigated for electrochemical luminescence (ECL) application. Effects of sol-gel combustion conditions on the structures and morphology of the porous FTO (p-FTO) materials were studied. ECL efficiency of p-FTO-based cell was about 251 cd/m2 at 4 V bias, which is higher than the sell using only FTO electrodes (102.8 cd/m2). The highest intensity of the emitting light was obtained at the wavelength of about 610 nm. The porous FTO layer was effective for increasing ECL intensities.

Subporphyrins with an axial B-C bond

Axial fabrications of subporphyrins have been conveniently accomplished by the reaction of B(methoxo)triphenylsubporphyrin with Grignard reagents such as aryl-, heteroaryl-, ferrocenyl-, β-styryl-, phenylethynyl-, and ethylmagnesium bromides. The axial groups thus introduced are not conjugated with the subporphyrin core. This situation leads to effective fluorescence quenching of subporphyrins when the axial group is strongly electron donating such as 4-dimethylaminophenyl and ferrocenyl groups.

Pushing extended p-quinodimethanes to the limit: stable tetracyano-oligo(N-annulated perylene)quinodimethanes with tunable ground states

p-Quinodimethane (p-QDM) is a fundamental building block for the design of π-conjugated systems with low band gap and open-shell biradical character. However, synthesis of extended p-QDMs has usually suffered from their intrinsic high reactivity and poor solubility. In this work, benzannulation together with terminal cyano-substitution was demonstrated to be an efficient approach for the synthesis of a series of soluble and stable tetracyano-oligo(N-annulated perylene)quinodimethanes nPer-CN (n = 1-6), with the longest molecule having 12 para-linked benzenoid rings! The geometry and electronic structures of these oligomers were investigated by steady-state and transient absorption spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, electron spin resonance, superconducting quantum interference device, and FT Raman spectroscopy assisted by density functional theory calculations. They showed tunable ground states, varying from a closed-shell quinoidal structure for monomer, to a singlet biradical for dimer, trimer, and tetramer, and to a triplet biradical for pentamer and hexamer. Large two-photon absorption cross-section values were observed in the near-infrared range, which also exhibited a clear chain-length dependence.

Comparative electrochemical and photophysical studies of tetrathiafulvalene-annulated porphyrins and their Zn(II) complexes: the effect of metalation and structural variation

A series of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)-annulated porphyrins, and their corresponding Zn(II) complexes, have been synthesized. Detailed electrochemical, photophysical, and theoretical studies reveal the effects of intramolecular charge-transfer transitions that originate from the TTF fragments to the macrocyclic core. The incremental synthetic addition of TTF moieties to the porphyrin core makes the species more susceptible to these charge-transfer (CT) effects as evidenced by spectroscopic studies. On the other hand, regular positive shifts in the reduction signals are seen in the square-wave voltammograms as the number of TTF subunits increases. Structural studies that involve the tetrakis-substituted TTF-porphyrin (both free-base and Zn(II) complex) reveal only modest deviations from planarity. The effect of TTF substitution is thus ascribed to electronic overlap between annulated TTF subunits rather than steric effects. The directly linked thiafulvalene subunits function as both π acceptors as well as σ donors. Whereas σ donation accounts for the substituent-dependent charge-transfer transitions, it is the π-acceptor nature of the appended tetrathiafulvalene groups that dominates the redox chemistry. Interactions between the subunits are also reflected in the square-wave voltammograms. In the case of the free-base derivatives that bear multiple TTF subunits, the neighboring TTF units, as well as the TTF(⋅+) generated through one-electron oxidation, can interact with each other; this gives rise to multiple signals in the square-wave voltammograms. On the other hand, after metalation, the electronic communication between the separate TTF moieties becomes restricted and they act as separate redox centers under conditions of oxidation. Thus only two signals, which correspond to TTF(⋅+) and TTF(2+), are observed. The reduction potentials are also seen to shift towards more negative values after metalation, a finding that is considered to reflect an increased HOMO-LUMO gap. To probe the excited-state dynamics and internal CT character, transient absorption spectral studies were performed. These analyses revealed that all the TTF-porphyrins of this study display relatively short excited-state lifetimes, which range from 1 to 20 ps. This reflects a very fast decay to the ground state and is consistent with the proposed intramolecular charge-transfer effects inferred from the ground-state studies. Complementary DFT calculations provide a mechanistic rationale for the electron flow within the TTF-porphyrins and support the proposed intramolecular charge-transfer interactions and π-acceptor effects.