Synthesis and optoelectronic properties of a heterobimetallic Pt(ii)–Ir(iii) complex used as a single-component emitter in white PLEDs

Abstract

To tune aggregation/excimer emission and obtain a single active emitter for white polymer light-emitting devices (PLEDs), a heterobimetallic Pt(II)-Ir(III) complex of FIr(pic)-C(6)DBC(6)-(pic)PtF was designed and synthesized, in which C(6)DBC(6) is a di(phenyloxyhexyloxy) bridging group, FIr(pic) is an iridium(III) bis[(4,6-difluorophenyl)pyridinato-N,C(2)'] (picolinate) chromophore and FPt(pic) is a platinum(II) [(4,6-difluorophenyl)pyridinato-N,C(2)'] (picolinate) chromophore. Its physical and opto-electronic properties were investigated. Interestingly, the excimer emission was efficiently controlled by this heterobimetallic Pt(II)-Ir(III) complex compared to the PL profile of the mononuclear FPt(pic) complex in the solid state. Near-white emissions were obtained in the single emissive layer (SEL) PLEDs using this heterobimetallic Pt(II)-Ir(III) complex as a single dopant and poly(vinylcarbazole) as a host matrix at dopant concentrations from 0.5 wt% to 2 wt%. This work indicates that incorporating a non-planar iridium(III) complex into the planar platinum(II) complex can control aggregation/excimer emissions and a single phosphorescent emitter can be obtained to exhibit white emission in SEL devices.