Low-cost zinc complexes for white organic light-emitting devices

• Published in: Synthetic metals 2014-08, Vol.564, p.351-360
• Main Authors: Dumur, Frédéric, Beouch, Layla, Tehfe, Mohamad-Ali, Contal, Emmanuel, Lepeltier, Marc, Wantz, Guillaume, Graff, Bernadette, Goubard, Fabrice, Mayer, Cédric R., Lalevée, Jacques, Gigmes, Didier
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Blue; Chemical Sciences; Chemistry; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Devices; Dopants; Electrochemistry; Electrodes: preparations and properties; Electroluminescence; Electronics; Emitters; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Luminescence; Material chemistry; Optical properties; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of specific thin films; Optoelectronic devices; Organic light emitting diodes; Other luminescence and radiative recombination; Physics; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; White; Zinc
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 0379-6779; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2014.06.006

A series of blue fluorescent Zn (II) tetradentate Schiff base complexes has been designed and synthesized for applications in organic light-emitting diodes. The five complexes were investigated as dopant materials or as single emitters of multilayered p-i OLEDs. White OLEDs were achieved using these compounds as dopants of 4,4′,4″-tris(N-carbazolyl)triphenylamine and best devices exhibited a high quality white-light emission with remarkable CIE (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage) coordinates (0.33, 0.34). When used as single emitters, sky-blue and blue electroluminescent devices were prepared, except with one complex that gave yellow OLEDs. Optical properties of these complexes were examined by UV–visible absorption and luminescence spectroscopy. Their electrochemical properties are also reported. These results open the route to the development of cost-effective complexes for white organic light-emitting devices applications. •Five metal chelates were tested as emitters for light-emitting devices.•Blue and white devices were obtained depending of the device architecture.•Electrochemical measurements were carried out.•Absorption and photoluminescence of complexes were investigated.•Theoretical calculations are examined.