Study of TADF Emitters in OLEDs

Abstract

Delayed fluorescence through thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) has great potential for the creation of inexpensive and highly efficient white lighting applications, with superior colour rendering. Currently the highest external quantum efficiencies are achieved with small donor-acceptor-donor molecules utilising intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) states, and these molecules require a suitable host matrix to reside in. This thesis studies the effect of host material on the model molecule 2d, a proven efficient TADF emitter through diligent photophysical investigation. A combination of steady state and nanosecond time resolved spectroscopic studies confirm the importance of a high host triplet level to ensure that the ICT state is the lowest energy excited state to avoid high levels of quenching. More interestingly it is shown that the functional group combination of emitter and host is crucial in achieving efficient TADF in OLED devices. In particular combinations where both the host and dopant are carbazole-based should be avoided due to the formation of carbazole dimer. The effect of such dimerisation is to lower the host triplet level significantly, and further to deactivate the ability of the 2d dopant to produce the ICT state required for TADF by locking the 2d dopant in the ‘planar’ configuration. It is therefore clear that the chemical composition of the host is of critical importance for the design of future OLED devices. Experiment also suggests that there is a complex interplay between exciplex and ICT emission in 2d systems in the solid state, insofar as CT emission of any description has so far only been observed in conditions where exciplex can and does occur.