Electroluminescence emission patterns of organic light-emitting transistors based on crystallized fluorene-type polymers

Abstract

The electroluminescence (EL) emission patterns of organic light-emitting transistors (OLETs) based on crystallized poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (F8), poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) and poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-dithienyl-benzothiadiazole) (F8TBT) films are investigated. For the single-layer devices and the mixed-layer device without an F8/F8BT interface, only line-shaped EL emission patterns are observed between source/drain (S/D) electrodes. For an F8BT (F8TBT)/F8 heterostructure device, a localized electric field is generated by the positive (negative) charges of the accumulated holes (electrons) in the F8 upper layer, which allow the injection of electrons (holes) in the F8BT (F8TBT) lower layer at a lower (higher) gate voltage. The F8/F8BT device exhibits unique light emission properties with a surface like EL emission pattern between S/D electrodes at a lower gate voltage. The interfacial structure is important for forming field-effect transistor channels along different organic layers to obtain a surface like emission between S/D electrodes. For the F8TBT/F8 OLET, the hole carrier transport mainly occurs at the F8TBT lower layer, and line-shaped EL emission patterns are observed in the vicinity of the source electrode upon varying the gate voltages owing to the worse carrier balance between the F8TBT lower layer and the F8 upper layer.