Effect of ion concentration of ionomer in electron injection layer of polymer light-emitting devices

Polymer light-emitting devices (PLEDs) with poly(2-methoxy-5-hexyloxy)-p-phenylenevinylene (OC1OC6-PPV) as the emissive layer were studied with an electron injection layer of ionomers consisting of copolymers of styrene and methylmethacrylate (PS/PMMA) with 3, 6 and 8 mol% degree of sulfonation. The ionomers were able to form very thin films over the emissive layer, with less than 30 nm. Additionally, the presence of ion pairs of ionomer suppresses the tendency toward dewetting of the thin film of ionomer (similar to 10 nm) which can cause malfunction of the device. The effect of the ionomers was investigated as a function of the ion content. The devices performance, characterized by their current density and luminance intensity versus voltage, showed a remarkable increase with the ionomer layer up to 6 mol% of ionic groups, decreasing after that for the 8 mol% ionomer device. The study of the impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range from 0.1 to 10(6) Hz showed that the injection phenomena dominate over the transport in the electroluminescent polymer bulk. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Light emitting diodes containing Langmuir-Blodgett films of copolymer of a poly(p-phenylene-vinylene) derivative and poly(octaneoxide)

The properties of Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films from a block copolymer with polyethylene oxide and phenylene-vinylene moieties are reported. The LB films were successfully transferred onto several types of substrates, with sufficient quality to allow for evaporation of a metallic electrode on top of the LB films to produce polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs). The photoluminescence and electroluminescence spectra of the LB film and device were similar, featuring an emission at ca. 475 nm, from which we could infer that the emission mechanisms are essentially the same as in poly(p-phenylene) derivatives. Analogously to other PLEDs the current versus voltage characteristics of the LB-based device could be explained with the Arkhipov model according to which charge transport occurs among localized sites. The implications for nanotechnology of the level of control that may be achieved with LB devices will also be discussed.

Incorporation of a liquid crystal to enhance the luminescence properties of Langmuir-Blodgett films of OC1OC6-PPV

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Langmuir and langmuir-blodgett films of polyfluorenes and their use in polymer light-emitting diodes

The Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film properties of two polyfluorene derivatives, namely poly(2,7-9,9'-dihexylfluorene-dyil) (PDHF) and poly(9,9 dihexylfluorene-dyil-vynilene-alt-1,4-phenylene-vyninele) (PDHF-PV), are reported. Surface pressure (Pi-A) and surface potential (Delta V-A) isotherms indicated that PDHF-PV forms true monolayers at the air/water interface, but PDHF does not. LB films could be transferred onto various types of substrate for both PDHF and PDHF-PV. Only the LB films from PDHF-PV could withstand deposition of a layer of evaporated metal to form a light-emitting diode (PLED), which had typical rectifying characteristics and emitted blue light. It is inferred that the ability of the polymer to form true monomolecular layers at the air/water interface seems to be associated with the viability of the LB films in PLEDs.

Fabrication of novel light-emitting devices based on green-phosphor/conductive-polymer composites

We report on light-emitting devices based on a green-phosphor compound (Mn-doped zinc silicate, Zn2SiO4: Mn) dispersed in a conductive polymeric blend (poly-o-methoxyaniline/polyvinylene fluoride, POMA/PVDF-TrFE). The devices exhibited high luminance in the green, good stability and homogeneous brilliance over effective areas up to 5 cm(2). The electroluminescence (EL) spectrum presented essentially the same characteristics as the photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence spectra, indicating that the light emission originates from decay of the same excited species, regardless of the excitation source. Operating characteristics were analyzed with current density - voltage (J - V) and luminance voltage ( L - V) curves to investigate the nature of the electroluminescence of the active material, which is still not completely understood.

Changeover during in situ compositional modulation of hexacyanoferrate (Prussian Blue) material

This paper describes the importance of (H2O)(6) clusters in controlling the properties of hexacyanoferrate (Prussian Blue) materials. A careful in situ study of compositional changes by using electrogravimetric techniques (in ac and dc modes) in hexacyanoferrates containing K+ alkali metals reveals the existence of a changeover in the properties of these films in a narrow potential range. Control of the compositional variation of the changeover is dependent on the K+ stoichiometric number in the compound structure. However, a specific K+ occupation in the compound structure activates the occupation of the (H2O)(6) cluster by H3O+ and/or H+, causing the changeover in the properties of hexacyanoferrate film. Thus, the information thus obtained is very useful for understanding the mechanisms involved in the electrochemical reversible switch between ferrimagnetism/paramagnetism, semiconductor/metal and electroluminescence/nonelectroluminescence properties of molecular cyanide materials.

Interface formation of nanostructured heterojunction SnO 2:Eu/GaAs and electronic transport properties

Thin films of tin dioxide (SnO2) are deposited by the sol-gel-dip-coating technique, along with GaAs layers, deposited by the resistive evaporation technique. The as-built heterojunction has potential application in optoelectronic devices, combining the emission from the rare-earth doped transparent oxide (Eu3+-doped SnO2 presents very efficient red emission) with a high mobility semiconductor. The advantage of this structure is the possibility of separation of the rare-earth emission centers from the electron scattering, leading to a strongly indicated combination for electroluminescence. Electrical characterization of the heterojunction SnO2:Eu/GaAs shows a significant conductivity increase when compared to the conductivity of the individual films, and the monochromatic light irradiation (266 nm) at low temperature of the heterojunction GaAs/SnO2:Eu leads to intense conductivity increase. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the heterojunction cross section shows high adherence and good morphological quality of the interfaces substrate/SnO2 and SnO2/GaAs, even though the atomic force microscopy (AFM) image of the GaAs surface shows disordered particles, which increases with sample thickness. On the other hand, the good morphology of the SnO2:Eu surface, shown by AFM, assures the good electrical performance of the heterojunction. The observed improvement on the electrical transport properties is probably related to the formation of short conduction channels at the semiconductors interface, which may exhibit two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) behavior. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Complexos aniônicos contendo európio ou gandolínio e beta-dicetonas aplicados aos estudos foto e/ou eletroluminescentes de sólidos e filmes

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Photo-Induced Conductivity of Heterojunction GaAs/Rare-Earth Doped SnO2

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Desenvolvimento de um sistema para caracterização de dispositivos eletroluminescentes

The materials designed to be used in electroluminescent (EL) devices construction are studied and improved since 1936. Great interests in the development of this kind of devices are mainly due to its low power consumption, flexibility, low cost and easy processing. One class of ELs devices with these characteristics are produced by employing a organic-polymeric/inorganic composite from a conductive polymer blend and an inorganic electroluminescent material (Zn2SiO4:Mn) dispersed in the polymeric matrix. This kind of device operates in d.c. or a.c. potentials, with EL of hundreds candela in the green region of the visible spectrum. However, few studies on the light emission were performed for these devices. In order to characterize devices made from composites, in this work is proposed a method of characterizing the electroluminescence associated with the impedance spectroscopy technique. To implement the technique of impedance spectroscopy was employ an experimental setup consisting of a source of a.c. voltage, an oscilloscope, and a reference resistor. Associated with this system, was use a photo diode and an analog electrometer to characterize the emitted light signal from the sample. The system was implemented allows characterization by impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range from 0.2 Hz up to 2 MHz and voltage amplitudes of 5 mV up to 20 kV. This system permits, at the same time, measurement of the RMS value of the luminance for devices in frequency range from 20 Hz up to 2 MHz. To test the system efficiency, an EL device was characterized showing analogous results to those reported in literature. By doing this, was demonstrated the efficiency of the system for electroluminescence characterization associated with the electrical characterization by impedance spectroscopy, for devices

Luminous efficiency enhancement of PVK based OLEDs with fac-[ClRe(CO)(3)(bpy)]

The luminous efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes based on poly(N-vinylcarbazole), PVK, was improved by adding fac-[ClRe(CO)(3)(bpy)], bpy = 2,2`-bipyridine, to PVK host. Emissive layers with various Re(I) complex/host ratio were employed and optoelectronic properties were compared with the single PVK device. The single PVK device exhibits a characteristic electroluminescence with blue emission, lambda(max) 420 nm, assigned to the PVK excimer. On the other hand, the intense and broad band at lambda(max) 580 nm of the Re(I) complex/PVK OLEDs is ascribed to the metal-to-ligand charge transfer excited state emission of fac-[ClRe(CO)(3)(bpy)]. At 30 V, the device luminous efficiency increased from 16 mcd/A for the single PVK device to 211 mcd/A for the 11% (w/w) Re(I) complex/PVK OLED, in which fac-[ClRe(CO)(3)(bpy)] acts as an electron-trap in PVK films. The device current is space-charge limited and exhibits typical emissive layer thickness dependence. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Luminescence properties of the TRIMEB inclusion compound of a europium tris-beta-diketonate

The adduct TRIMEB:Eu(BTA)(3)center dot 2H(2)O was prepared and primarily characterized by photoluminescence (PL), and compared with free Eu(BTA)(3)center dot 2H(2)O. Both spectra show the Eu3+ ion emission, with subtle differences between lines for the free and encapsulated complex. The temperature dependence and chemical stability were studied, taking into account (in the latter case) the PL changes with time. The use of this new material as the emissive layer in OLEDs was tested by its successful incorporation into a device, using a conductive polymer as host. The use of the TRIMEB adduct increased the stability of the device (as compared with the free Eu complex). (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Organic light emitting diodes with europium (III) emissive layers based on beta-diketonate complexes: The influence of the central ligand

This work shows a comparative study of organic light emitting diodes based on four different europium complexes with the general formula, Eu(CLs)(3)bipyridine, where the central ligands are DBM [tris(dibenzoylmethane)], TTA [tris(1-(2-thieneyl)-4,4,4-trifluoro-1,3-butanedione)], NTA [tris(1-(2-naphthoyl)-3,3,3-trifluoroacetone)] and BTA [tris(1-(2-benzoyl)-3,3,3-trifluoroacetone)]. All devices have a driving voltage of 14-16 V, a very low electrical current at normal operation (less than 1 mA) and a good Wall Plug Efficiency (up to near 10(-3)%). The most suitable central ligand was found to be DBM, with an optical power up to 200 nW (at 612 nm). The BTA exhibits the lowest stability under high applied voltages. The other central ligands have similar results among them. The electroluminescence spectra clearly show the europium ion transitions (with a strong (5)D(0) -> (7)F(2) line) with a CIE color coordinate around (0.56, 0.34). (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polymer Light Emitting Diode Using PFT-Poly(9,9 `-n-dihexil-2,7-fluorenodiilvinylene-alt-2,5thiophene)

The development of new electroluminescence polymers for specific colour tuning in Polymer Light Emitting Devices (PLEDs) is currently one of the most important fields for organic electronics. This work reports a synthesis of a new electroluminescent polymer and the concomitant test as PLED emissive layer. The polymer, synthesised from fluorene, is poly(9,9`-n-dihexil-2,7-fluorenodiilvinylene-alt-2,5thiophene) or PFT The luminescence shows large bands with maxima around 480 nm in absorption and 560 nm in emission. The device was made in a three layer structure, with PEDOT:PSS as hole transport layer, PFT as emissive layer and butyl-PBD as electron transport layer. The electroluminescence spectrum shows a strong band peaked at 540 nm. For an applied voltage of 12 Volt, the brightness at normal angle of viewing is near 10 cd/m(2) and the luminous efficiency is of 0.01 lm/W. A discussion about carrier transport and the electroluminescence properties is made.

Development and characterization of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based on ruthenium complex single layer for transparent displays

In this work, two ruthenium complexes, [Ru(bpy)(3)](PF6)(2) and [Ru(ph2phcn)(3)](PF6)(2) in poly(inethylinethacrylate) matrix were employed to build single-layer light-emitting electrochemical cells by spin coating on indium tin oxide substrate. In both cases the electroluminescence spectra exhibit a relatively broad band with maxima near to 625 rim and CIE (x, y) color coordinates of (0.64, 0.36), which are comparable with the photoluminescence data in the same medium. The best result was obtained with the [Ru(bpy)(3)](PF6)(2) device where the optical output power approaches 10 mu W at the band maximum with a wall-plug efficiency higher than 0.03%. The lowest driving voltage is about 4 V for an electrical current of 20 mA. (c) 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.