White light emission from a single organic molecule with dual phosphorescence at room temperature

• Published in: Nature communications 2017-09, Vol.8 (1), p.416-8, Article 416
• Main Authors: He, Zikai, Zhao, Weijun, Lam, Jacky W. Y., Peng, Qian, Ma, Huili, Liang, Guodong, Shuai, Zhigang, Tang, Ben Zhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/301/1019; 639/638/298/398; 639/638/440/527; Diodes; Emission; Emitters; Humanities and Social Sciences; Light emission; multidisciplinary; Phosphorescence; Room temperature; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Temperature effects; White light
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00362-5

The development of single molecule white light emitters is extremely challenging for pure phosphorescent metal-free system at room temperature. Here we report a single pure organic phosphor, namely 4-chlorobenzoyldibenzothiophene, emitting white room temperature phosphorescence with Commission Internationale de l’Éclair-age coordinates of (0.33, 0.35). Experimental and theoretical investigations reveal that the white light emission is emerged from dual phosphorescence, which emit from the first and second excited triplet states. We also demonstrate the validity of the strategy to achieve metal-free pure phosphorescent single molecule white light emitters by intrasystem mixing dual room temperature phosphorescence arising from the low- and high-lying triplet states. The development of single molecule white light-emitters is extremely challenging for pure phosphorescent metal-free systems at room temperature. Here the authors show a single pure organic room temperature phosphor, 4-chlorobenzoyldibenzothiophene, utilizing the emission from both T 1 and T 2 states.