High-resolution Organic Light-emitting Diode Research Articles

Gold Coordination-Accelerated Multi-Resonance TADF Emission for Efficient Solution-Processible Ultrapure Deep-Blue OLEDs.

Multi-resonance (MR) type emitters have emerged as highly promising candidates for high-resolution organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). However, thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emissions with simultaneous short excited state lifetimes and ultrapure blue color (a CIEy close to 0.046 and an emission peak > 440 nm) have rarely been obtained for MR emitters. Herein, we report a design of dual gold-coordinated MR molecules to achieve efficient and short-lived ultrapure blue TADF emission. The dinuclear Au(I) complex, namely iPrAuBN, shows a narrowband deep-blue emission with a peak maximum of 448 nm and a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 29 nm in doped film. The coordination with two Au atoms significantly shortens the delayed fluorescence lifetime to 7.8 μs in comparing with 60.6 μs for the organic analogue. Solution-processed OLED doped with iPrAuBN demonstrates an ultrapure blue electroluminescence with a peak maximum of 442 nm, a FWHM of 19 nm, Commission International de l'Éclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.154, 0.036), and a maximum external quantum efficiency of 14.8%.

Exploration of OLED structures for high-resolution microdisplays with enhanced efficiency and color gamut

The subpixel size of high-resolution organic light-emitting diode (OLED) microdisplays measures a few micrometers. To achieve a full-color microdisplay, the current preference is to use photolithography technology on a white OLED instead of using a fine metal mask for patterning. The application of photolithography techniques allows for the creation of microcavity structures or color filters (CFs) to enhance color purity in each emitted color. This paper focuses on investigating specialized OLED device structures for high-resolution microdisplays. The characteristics of each structure, including efficiency and color gamut, are thoroughly discussed. The structure, combining microcavity and CF, achieves the widest color gamut, while microcavity structures show higher efficiency compared to CF-only structures. Tandem structures are also considered for improved efficiency and stability.

High-resolution display screen as programmable illumination for Fourier ptychography

We introduce a new programmable illumination strategy for Fourier ptychographic microscopy (FPM), utilizing a high-resolution organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display screen at the vicinity of the sample to achieve super-resolution and quantitative phase imaging of biological samples. High-density pixels in the OLED screen allow for the angle-scanning illumination required for FP by placing the sample slide directly on the screen, where multiple images of the sample are captured while scanning the pixels on the screen. We discuss the design of the OLED-FP illumination and the corresponding image reconstruction strategies and experimentally validate the super-resolution and phase imaging capabilities of FP using a smartphone screen as illumination. Further, we extend our method to patterned illumination strategies, which multiplexes multiple illumination pixels to achieve full-field FP imaging with a reduced number of measurements, where we identify an optimal illumination pattern and density to maximize the imaging speed without sacrificing the image quality. Our approach offers a simple and compact programmable illuminator that can effectively transform any microscope into a compact FPM with resolution improvement and phase imaging capabilities.

Synergetic Modulation of Steric Hindrance and Excited State for Anti-Quenching and Fast Spin-Flip Multi-Resonance Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorophore.

Multi-resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) materials hold great promise for advanced high-resolution organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays. However, persistent challenges, such as severe aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) and slow spin-flip, hinder their optimal performance. We propose a synergetic steric-hindrance and excited-state modulation strategy for MR-TADF emitters, which is demonstrated by two blue MR-TADF emitters, IDAD-BNCz and TIDAD-BNCz, bearing sterically demanding 8,8-diphenyl-8H-indolo[3,2,1-de]acridine (IDAD) and 3,6-di-tert-butyl-8,8-diphenyl-8H-indolo[3,2,1-de]acridine (TIDAD), respectively. These rigid and bulky IDAD/TIDAD moieties, with appropriate electron-donating capabilities, not only effectively mitigate ACQ, ensuring efficient luminescence across a broad range of dopant concentrations, but also induce high-lying charge-transfer excited states that facilitate triplet-to-singlet spin-flip without causing undesired emission redshift or spectral broadening. Consequently, implementation of a high doping level of IDAD-BNCz resulted in highly efficient narrowband electroluminescence, featuring a remarkable full-width at half-maximum of 34 nm and record-setting external quantum efficiencies of 34.3 % and 31.8 % at maximum and 100 cd m-2, respectively. The combined steric and electronic effects arising from the steric-hindered donor introduction offer a compelling molecular design strategy to overcome critical challenges in MR-TADF emitters.

A multi-resonance emitter with five-membered thiophene as the π-core enables efficient, narrowband and reduced efficiency roll-off OLEDs.

Efficient, narrowband multi-resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) emitters have recently sparked significant interest in high-resolution organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays. However, almost all the progress in MR-TADF materials has been accomplished using a six-membered ring as the π-core to date. Herein, we present the first example of a five-membered ring π-core-based MR-TADF emitter named Th-BN developed by introducing thiophene instead of hexagonal benzene as the π-core. The introduction of thiophene significantly enhances intramolecular charge transfer intensity and the spin-orbit coupling matrix elements but does not change the intrinsic MR properties. As a result, Th-BN exhibits a narrowband green emission at 512 nm, with a high luminous efficiency of 97%, a narrow full-width at half maximum of 41 nm/0.20 eV, and a rapid reverse intersystem crossing rate of 18.7 × 104 s-1, which is 10 times higher than that of its benzenoid counterpart DtBuCzB. The corresponding green OLEDs based on Th-BN achieve excellent electroluminescence performance with an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 34.6% and a reduced efficiency roll-off with an EQE of 26.8% at a high luminance of 1000 cd m-2.

Modulatory spin-flip of triplet excitons via diversiform electron-donating units for MR-TADF emitters towards solution-processed narrowband OLEDs.

Multiple resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) molecules are emerging as promising candidates for high-resolution organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays, but MR-TADF emitters always suffer from an unsatisfactory rate constant of reverse intersystem crossing (k RISC) due to inherently low spin orbital coupling strength between excited singlet and triplet states. Herein, we systematically investigate the long-range charge transfer (LRCT) and heavy-atom effects on modulating the excited state natures and energy levels via integrating diversiform electron-donating units with the MR skeleton. Compared with unsubstituted analogues, newly designed MR-TADF emitters exhibit significantly boosted k RISC values and close-to-unity photoluminescence quantum yield especially for tBuCzBN-PXZ (2.5 × 105 s-1) and tBuCzBN-Ph-PSeZ (2.1 × 105 s-1). Leveraging these exceptional properties, the maximum external quantum efficiency values of tBuCzBN-PXZ- and tBuCzBN-Ph-PSeZ-based solution-processed OLEDs can reach 21.3% and 19.4%, which are in the first tier of reported solution-processed MR-TADF binary OLEDs without employing additional sensitizers. This study provides a framework for modulating photoelectrical properties of MR-TADF emitters through fastidiously regulating LRCT and heavy-atom effects.

A peripheral modification strategy for high performance multi-resonance TADF emitters to construct sensitized OLEDs

Multiple resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) emitters show great application potential in high color purity and high-resolution organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) display. However, the high-performance narrowband MR-TADF based OLEDs are still scarce. In this work, two new MR-TADF emitters Me-PABCZ and Me-PABDPA with high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) of 94.6 % and 91.8 % respectively, are designed and synthesized by a one-shot electrophilic C–H borylation reaction. The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) values of photoluminescence spectra in the high dispersion state of Me-PABCZ and Me-PABDPA luminogens are 22 nm and 29 nm, respectively. By coating large steric carbazole or diphenylamine units around the multi-resonance core, the intermolecular interactions are suppressed and the aggregation-induced emission quenching effect is inhibited. As a result, the TADF-sensitized TADF (TST) device utilizing Me-PABCZ as sensitizer and Me-PABDPA as emitter achieves a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 27.9 %. Such a type of light-emitting device exhibits a weak dopant concentration dependence characteristic. The incorporation of molecule conformational engineering and device structural engineering into the MR-TADF technology could usher in a new paradigm of OLEDs.

Resolving the Photophysics of Nitrogen-Embedded Multiple Resonance Emitters: Origin of Color Purity and Emitting Efficiency.

The emerging nitrogen-embedded multiple resonance (MR) emitters with an indolo[3,2,1-jk] carbazole (ICz) unit have exhibited promising performance for high-resolution organic light-emitting diode (OLED) devices, while the underlying photophysics has been rarely reported. In this work, the optical spectra, color purity, and emitting efficiency of ICz-based MR emitters were investigated by using electronic structure and thermal vibration correlation function (TVCF) calculations. Unlike B-N MR emitters, the high color purity of investigated ICz-based MR emitters was mainly contributed by considerable structural rigidity, which also greatly affects the radiative decay rate and fluorescence quantum yield of the S1 state. For the majority of investigated emitters, potential reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) channels (T1 → S1 and T2 → S1) are limited by thermally inaccessible ΔEST* or insufficient spin-orbital coupling (SOC), which can be distinguished by the calculated temperature-dependent RISC rate pattern. We provided a systematic photophysical picture for ICz-based MR emitters that might be interesting for the OLED design and application community.

Fabrication of Large-Sized Invar Alloy Film with Low Thermal Expansion by Pulse Reverse Electrodeposition

Invar alloy film with low thermal expansion is a key substrate for high-resolution organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The preparation of Invar alloy film by electrodeposition has attracted increasing attention due to its low cost and simple process. In this work, a large-sized (8 × 10 cm) uniform Fe-Ni alloy film was fabricated by pulse reverse electrodeposition. The effects of the electrodeposition parameters on the chemical composition and microstructure of Fe-Ni alloy films were investigated. Results showed that greater Ni2+/Fe2+ in the electrolyte, lower pulse frequency (f), smaller reverse pulse coefficient (x), and lower electrodeposition temperature (T) favored the iron content. The Invar alloy film (64 wt% Fe) was electrodeposited at T = 50 °C, x = 0.2, f = 10 Hz, and Ni2+/Fe2+ = 1.9 when the average pulse current density was 30 mA cm−2. The structure of the film was composed of a mixture of fcc and bcc phases, where (110) and (111) preferential orientations were predominant. After heat treatment in H2 at 800 °C for 120 min, the bcc phase transformed into the fcc phase, and the grain size increased (>2 μm). As a result, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the film decreased from 11 × 10−6 to 1.5 × 10−6/°C, which is close to the standard for commercial application.

A-InGaZnO Thin-Film Transistors With Novel Atomic Layer-Deposited HfO2 Gate Insulator Using Two Types of Reactant Gases

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition is often utilized to fabricate amorphous indium–gallium–zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) with mobility of approximately 7 cm2/( <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{V}\cdot \text{s}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> ) using a SiOx gate insulator. For use in high-resolution organic light-emitting diode displays, this value must be markedly improved. Therefore, we used various reactants to create a HfO2 bilayer via atomic layer deposition (ALD) and examined the electrical properties of IGZO TFTs, such as their mobility and subthreshold swing (SS). By adjusting the thickness of HfO2 with H2O reactant gas, the amount of hydrogen that diffused into the IGZO channel was controlled. The IGZO TFT with a specific HfO2 bilayer gate insulator exhibited high saturation mobility of 16.75 cm2/( <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{V}\cdot \text{s}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> ) and an improved SS of 159 mV/dec compared to a conventional device with a HfO2 gate insulator formed using only O3 reactant gas. Furthermore, the fabricated HfO2 bilayer devices presented excellent reliability under positive bias stress and were more robust against the short-channel effect. Thus, based on the findings of this study, to improve the electrical properties of a-IGZO TFTs, the ALD process is suggested to be used to deposit a high- <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${k}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> gate insulator.

Highly efficient stable blue organic light-emitting diodes based on a novel anthracene[2,3-b]benzofuran framework

Organic blue fluorescent emitters’ emissions are highly desirable for high-resolution organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display technology. In this work, a design strategy to realize narrowband emission of organic blue fluorescent emitters by connecting carbazole and amine, named ABFCz and ABFAn, respectively, with anthracene[2,3-b]benzofuran as rigid groups is reported for the first time. The developed materials can achieve high efficiency and long life. Studies of the doped devices show that ABFCz-based blue-emitting OLEDs achieve a maximum current efficiency of 6.96 cd A−1 with a narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 44 nm, as well as a Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) coordinate of (0.15, 0.14). A maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) of 7.7% is also achieved. Meanwhile, the ABFAn emitter-based devices exhibit blue emission with a maximum current efficiency of up to 9.20 cd A−1 (EQEmax of 11.4%) with a FWHM of 44 nm, as well as a CIE coordinate of (0.14, 0.13). The devices are based on an ABFAn operating lifetime test LT90 (luminance decays to 90% of the initial brightness) of 202 h at an initial luminance of 1000 cd m−2. The results show that anthracene[2,3-b]benzofuran can be modified with a higher glass transition temperature (T g) to achieve high-efficiency and stable-operating-lifetime blue light devices. Our work may provide a new approach for designing high-efficiency blue materials.

Tuning Hybridized Local and Charge-Transfer Mixing for Efficient Hot-Exciton Emission with Improved Color Purity

Delayed fluorescence (DF) emitters with high color purity are of high interest for applications in high-resolution displays. However, the charge transfer required by high emitting efficiency usually conflicts with the expected color purity. In this work, we investigated the S1/S0 conformational relaxation, spin-orbital coupling (SOC), and vibronic coupling of hot-exciton emitters while hybrid local and charge transfer (HLCT) state tuning was achieved by a structural meta-effect. The meta-linkage leads to suppressed S1/S0 conformational relaxation and weakened vibronic coupling, while the unsacrificed emitting efficiency is largely ensured by multiple rISC channels (Tn → Sm) with thermally accessible triplet-singlet energy gap (ΔEST) and effective SOC. We demonstrated that the unique excited-state mechanism provides opportunities to improve the emitting color purity of hot-exciton emitters without sacrificing emitting efficiency by HLCT state tuning with simple chemical structural modification, for which hot-exciton emitters might play a more important role for high-resolution organic light-emitting diode displays.

Color gamut change by optical crosstalk in high-resolution organic light-emitting diode microdisplays.

Herein, the color gamut change by optical crosstalk between sub-pixels in high-resolution full-color organic light-emitting diode (OLED) microdisplays was numerically investigated. The color gamut of the OLED microdisplay decreased dramatically as the pixel density of the panel increased from 100 pixels per inch (PPI) to 3000 PPI. In addition, the increase in thickness of the passivation layer between the bottom electrode and the top color filter results in a decrease in the color gamut. We also calculated the color gamut change depending on the pixel structures in the practical OLED microdisplay panel, which had an aspect ratio of 32:9 and a pixel density of 2,490 PPI. The fence angle and height, refractive index of the passivation layer, black matrix width, and white OLED device structure affect the color gamut of the OLED microdisplay panel because of the optical crosstalk effect.

Alkoxy-capped carbazole dendrimers as host materials for highly efficient narrowband electroluminescence by solution process

Narrowband electroluminescence from multi-resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) emitters have attracted much attention owing to their potential in developing high-resolution organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays. However, host materials used for MR-TADF emitters are mainly focused on small molecules that are relying on vacuum deposition for device fabrication. Here, we demonstrate the design of novel host materials with dendritic structures consisting of a non-conjugated adamantane core and four alkoxy-capped carbazole dendrons in periphery for solution-processed MR-TADF OLEDs with highly efficient narrowband electroluminescence. By introducing electron-donating n-butoxy capping groups to carbazole units and using the second-generation dendrons instead of the first-generation ones, triplet energies for the dendritic hosts are kept at higher than 2.80 eV, but the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) levels can be considerably elevated from −5.51 to −5.19 eV, leading to barrier-free hole injection from anode to emissive layer. Solution-processed OLEDs based on the alkoxy-capped dendritic host and B,N-containing MR-TADF emitter reveal narrowband emission with full-width at half-maximum of 42 nm, together with low turn-on voltage of 2.8 V, maximum external quantum efficiency of 24.2% and power efficiency of 95.0 lm W−1, which represent the promising device efficiencies for narrowband electroluminescence by solution process.

Ultrafast Photophysics of Multiple-Resonance Ultrapure Blue Emitters.

Multiple-resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) emitters are becoming increasingly attractive due to their applications in high-resolution organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display technology. Here, we present an investigation on the photophysics of two MR-TADF emitters (t-DABNA and TBN-TPA) by using quantum chamical calculation and ultrafast transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy. Compared with one-step structural planarization of t-DABNA, TBN-TPA undergoes two-step relaxation in S1 state, i.e., fast twisting of the peripheral group and subsequent restrained planarization of the B-N framework. The efficient twisting motion of the peripheral group largely reduces the energy level of the TBN-TPA system and correspondingly increases the barrier for subsequent planarization, which is favored for the narrowband emission. Our work provides a detailed picture for the excited-state deactivation of peripheral group-modified MR-TADF emitters without a pronounced charge-transfer (CT) characteristic mixed in the lowest-lying fluorescent state, which might be helpful for the future design of narrowband OLED emitters.

Organic light-emitting diode structure for high color gamut in high-resolution microdisplay: Over 90% color gamut based on BT.2020

To implement primary colors in high-resolution organic light-emitting diode (OLED) microdisplays, color filters or cavity structures are applied to white OLEDs (WOLEDs). In terms of the high luminance and high color gamut required by microdisplays, two methods were experimentally compared in this study. In addition, a method for applying a color filter to WOLEDs with high-order cavity structures is proposed. The luminance of the proposed structure is lower than that of the cavity-only structure, but is similar to that obtained by applying a color filter to normal WOLEDs. Although previous methods do not satisfy the BT.2020 standard, the proposed structure achieves 90.8% of the BT.2020 standard.

Micromachining of Invar with 784 Beams Using 1.3 ps Laser Source at 515 nm.

To fulfil the requirements for high-resolution organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays, precise and high-quality micrometer-scale patterns have to be fabricated inside metal shadow masks. Invar has been selected for this application due to its unique properties, especially a low coefficient of thermal expansion. In this study, a novel cost-efficient method of multi-beam micromachining of invar will be introduced. The combination of a Meopta beam splitting, focusing and monitoring module with a galvanometer scanner and HiLASE high-energy pulse laser system emitting ultrashort pulses at 515 nm allows drilling and cutting of invar foil with 784 beams at once with high precision and almost no thermal effects and heat-affected zone, thus significantly improving the throughput and efficiency.

Optically Invisible Antenna Integrated Within an OLED Touch Display Panel for IoT Applications

Future electronics and Internet of Things devices with the capability of high-speed wireless communication will increasingly rely on efficient and intelligent antennas. However, conventional wireless communication systems for small wireless electronics devices suffer from low radiation efficiencies of miniaturized antennas implemented within less-than ideal locations and real estates. Here, we introduce the original concept of utilizing the entire transparent region of high-resolution organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touch displays to render an antenna that is invisible to the human eye. A transverse magnetic resonant mode antenna is formulated based on transparent conductive polymers, which are precisely realized using mesoscale formation of electromagnetic boundary conditions. Simultaneously, these electromagnetic patterns achieve optical invisibility. We show that the transparent antenna film can be integrated inside an OLED touch display and feature efficient radiation properties at 2.4 GHz. The presented theory and measurement studies of the fabricated prototype for smartwatch application for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity inspire a broader range of integration of microwave and display technologies.

62.2: Development of Polymer Light‐Emitting Diode (PLED) Displays using The Relief Printing Method

AbstractWe have developed high resolution organic light emitting diode(OLED) displays by using a relief printing method. [1] With this method, high resolution OLED fabrication could be realized with high efficiency material usage. We have already reported development of a 5inch full color display.[2] In this paper we report about our prototype 7.4‐inch full color OLED display with ORTUS Technology Co. Ltd. A higher alignment accuracy is needed because we use a new TFT backplane which has a narrower pitch between each pixel than previously to make the pixel apertures larger and achieve a larger pixel size. In general, printing methods have an issue with brightness uniformity. We made the panels, without the unintentional color mixing between neighboring pixels by improving the alignment accuracy of the relief printing method.