The overshoot effect in transient electroluminescence from organic bilayer light emitting diodes: Experiment and theory

Abstract

Transient electroluminescence (EL) from organic bilayer light emitting diodes addressed by a rectangular voltage pulse often features an overshoot when the voltage is switched off. Experimental results are presented for a variety of hole transporting layers in contact with an oxadiazole layer simultaneously acting both as a blockade for holes and as an electron transport layer. The overshoot occurs in spin coated yet not in vapor deposited samples. A model is developed to rationalize charge recombination under the premise (i) of an interfacial layer of finite thickness between hole and electron transport layers in which both transport molecules coexist and (ii) of interfacial energy barriers impeding both hole and electron passage. It predicts the occurrence of an EL overshoot due to the recombination of stored electrons and holes under the action of their mutual space charge field when the external voltage is switched off. The temporal pattern of the predicted transient EL signal is in good agreement with experiment.