Bright green organic electroluminescent devices based on a novel thermally stable terbium complex

A navel thermally stable terbium carboxylate complex, Tb(MTP)(3)(phen) (MTP=monotetradecyl phthalate, phen=1,10-phehanthroline), was synthesized and characterized. The device structure of glass substrate/indium-tin-oxide/poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV)/poly (N-vinycarbazole) (PVK):Tb(MTP)(3)(phen): 1,3,4-oxadizole derivative (PBD)/tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) (Alq(3))/aluminum (Al) was employed to study the electroluminescent properties of Tb(MTP)(3)(phen). A green emission with extremely sharp spectral band of less than 10 nm at 544 nm peak wavelength was observed. A maximum luminance of 152 cd/m(2) and an external quantum efficiency of 0.017% were achieved at a drive voltage of 24 V. A possible mechanism of energy transfer based on the polymer doped with lanthanide organic complex was also proposed.