Solution-processed blue quantum-dot light-emitting diodes based on double hole transport layers: Charge injection balance, solvent erosion control and performance improvement

Abstract

Abstract Solution processed quantum-dot based light emitting diodes (QLEDs) usually suffer from the issues of imbalanced carrier injection (especially for blue QLEDs) and solvent erosion, which prevents these devices from reaching high performance. Here we report a simple and effective method of promoting hole injection and mitigating solvent erosion simultaneously for fabricating high-performance blue QLEDs. Poly [(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-(4,4′-(N-(p-butylphenyl))-diphenylamine)] (TFB)/Lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonimide) (Li-TFSI)-doped poly(9-vinlycarbazole) (PVK) bi-layers with smooth surfaces/interfaces, prepared via a solution-process by utilizing 1,4-dioxane as the solvent for PVK, were used as hole transport layers (HTLs) for improving the performance of blue QLEDs. The TFB/Li-doped PVK based QLED records 5829 cd/m2 of maximum brightness and 5.37% of peak EQE, which represents 1.1-fold increase in brightness and ~11.5-fold increase in EQE as compared with the devices based on TFB-only HTLs. The enhanced performance for these TFB/Li-doped PVK based QLEDs can be ascribed to more efficient hole injection offered by Li-doped bilayer HTLs with smooth surfaces/interfaces and stepwise energy level alignment. The CIE 1931 color coordinates (0.15, 0.03) for these TFB/Li-doped PVK based QLEDs are close to the National Television System Committee (NTSC) standard blue CIE coordinates, showing promise for use in next-generation full-color displays. This work provides a facile solution method of fabricating TFB/Li-doped PVK bi-layers with smooth surfaces/interfaces and proves the superiority of these TFB/Li-doped PVK bi-layered HTLs in hole transport and injection for high-performance blue QLEDs.