Study of thermal conversion and patterning of a new soluble poly ( p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) precursor

Abstract

The investigation of conversion of new soluble poly( p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) precursor and PPV patterns by irradiation with UV light of a film is reported. We obtained patterns by this method with well-defined edges and channel width up to 10 μm. Also, it was found that the PPV precursor polymer is a photoresist material. This allows the fabrication of PPV patterns, which can directly act as luminescent structures in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Using the atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique, investigations on the PPV thin films show that at 200 °C well-defined crystalline domains of PPV are detected, thus indicating the complete transformation of the precursor into the final polymer. The current–voltage characteristics of single and double PPV layer devices indicate that turn-on voltages around 9 and 8 V were recorded for double and single PPV layer devices, respectively. From the electroluminescence–voltage plot, an onset voltage at 10 V is detected for two PPV layers OLED. In addition, we investigate the optical, electrical and EL characteristics of pyrrolo[1,2-a][1,10]phenanthroline derivatives [Leontie L, Druta I, Danac R, Rusu GI. Synth Met 2005;155/1:138; Zugravescu I, Petrovanu M. 3+2 Dipolar cycloaddition. Bucharest: Roman Academic Publishing House; 1987 [in Romanian]; Druta I, Andrei M, Aburel P. Tetrahedron 1998;54:2107; Druta I, Dinica R, Bacu E, Humelnicu I. Tetrahedron 1998;54:10811; Dinica R, Druta I, Pettinari C. Synlett 2000;7:1013; Danac R, Rotaru A, Drochioiu G, Druta I. J Heterocyclic Chem 2003;40:283; Druta I, Danac R, Barbieru R, Tapu D, Andrei M. Sci Ann Al I Cuza Univ Iasi S Chem 2001;IX:149] as potential candidates for OLED applications. In this case, PPV was used as the hole-transport layer (HTL) and pyrrolo[1,2-a][1,10]phenanthroline derivatives, which were spin coated onto PPV, as the emissive layer. The structure of all PPV devices reported in this paper was fabricated using UV light for patterning.