Organic electroluminescent device

Abstract

The invention relates to an organic electroluminescent device. Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide an apparatus having at least one pixel including three or more sub-pixels. Each sub-pixel may include an organic emissive layer having an organic emissive material and an enhancement layer having a plasmon material, the enhancement layer being at a distance from the organic emissive layer exceeding a threshold distance. Each sub-pixel may include an out-coupling layer disposed over the enhancement layer and a color changing layer disposed over the out-coupling layer, wherein a transmission spectrum of the color changing layer overlaps an emission spectrum of the light output from the out-coupling layer. For at least one of the three or more sub-pixels, a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the light emission spectrum from the color changing layer may be between 30 nm greater or less than the FWHM of the light emission spectrum from the out-coupling layer.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference of related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 703,295, filed October 4, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to apparatus and techniques for manufacturing organic emitting devices, such as organic light-emitting diodes, the organic emitting devices including an encapsulation layer and a color-changing layer that can also reduce surface reflection of such devices; and to apparatus and techniques including organic emitting devices. Background Technology

[0004] For many reasons, optoelectronic devices utilizing organic materials are becoming increasingly popular. Many of the materials used to manufacture these devices are relatively inexpensive, thus organic optoelectronic devices have the potential to offer a cost advantage over inorganic devices. Furthermore, the inherent properties of organic materials, such as their flexibility, make them more suitable for specific applications, such as fabrication on flexible substrates. Examples of organic optoelectronic devices include organic light-emitting diodes / devices (OLEDs), organic phototransistors, organic photovoltaic cells, and organic photodetectors. For OLEDs, organic materials can exhibit performance advantages over conventional materials. For instance, the wavelength of light emitted by an organic emitting layer can often be easily tuned using appropriate dopants.

[0005] OLEDs utilize organic thin films that emit light when a voltage is applied to the device. OLEDs are becoming an increasingly popular technology for applications such as flat panel displays, lighting, and backlighting. Several OLED materials and configurations are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,844,363, 6,303,238, and 5,707,745, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0006] One application of phosphorescent emitting molecules is as devices for full-color displays. Industry standards for such displays require pixels suited to emitting specific colors (called "saturated" colors). Specifically, these standards require pixels saturated with red, green, and blue light. Alternatively, OLEDs can be designed to emit white light. In conventional liquid crystal displays, absorption filters are used to filter the emission from a white backlight to produce red, green, and blue emission. The same technology can be used for OLEDs. White OLEDs can be single EML devices or stacked structures. Color can be measured using CIE coordinates, well-known in the field.

[0007] As used herein, the term "organic" includes both polymeric materials and small-molecule organic materials that can be used to manufacture organic optoelectronic devices. "Small molecule" refers to any organic material that is not a polymer, and "small molecule" can actually be quite large. In some cases, small molecules may include repeating units. For example, using long-chain alkyl groups as substituents does not remove the molecule from the "small molecule" category. Small molecules can also be incorporated into polymers, for example, as side groups on the polymer backbone or as part of the backbone. Small molecules can also serve as the core portion of dendritic polymers, which consist of a series of chemical shells built upon the core portion. The core portion of a dendritic polymer can be a fluorescent or phosphorescent small-molecule emitter. Dendritic polymers can be "small molecules," and all dendritic polymers currently used in the OLED field are considered small molecules.

[0008] As used herein, "top" means furthest from the substrate, and "bottom" means closest to the substrate. When the first layer is described as being "placed" "above" the second layer, the first layer is placed further away from the substrate. Unless specified that the first layer "contacts" the second layer, other layers may exist between the first and second layers. For example, even if various organic layers exist between the cathode and anode, the cathode may still be described as being "placed" "above" the anode.

[0009] As used herein, “solution-handleable” means capable of dissolving, dispersing or transporting in and / or depositing from a liquid medium in the form of a solution or suspension.

[0010] When a ligand is considered to directly contribute to the photosensitivity of the emissive material, the ligand may be referred to as "photosensitive." When a ligand is considered not to contribute to the photosensitivity of the emissive material, the ligand may be referred to as "auxiliary," but auxiliary ligands can alter the properties of photosensitizing ligands.

[0011] As used herein, and as will generally be understood by those skilled in the art, if the first energy level is closer to the vacuum level, then the first "Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital" (HOMO) or "Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital" (LUMO) level is "greater than" or "higher than" the second HOMO or LUMO level. Since the ionization potential (IP) is measured as a negative energy relative to the vacuum level, a higher HOMO level corresponds to an IP with a smaller absolute value (less negative IP). Similarly, a higher LUMO level corresponds to an electron affinity (EA) with a smaller absolute value (less negative EA). On a conventional energy level diagram with the vacuum level at the top, the LUMO levels of a material are higher than the HOMO levels of the same material. "Higher" HOMO or LUMO levels appear to be closer to the top of this diagram than "lower" HOMO or LUMO levels.

[0012] As used herein, and as will generally be understood by those skilled in the art, if the first work function has a higher absolute value, then the first work function is “greater” or “higher” than the second work function. This is because the work function is typically measured as a negative number relative to the vacuum level, meaning that the “higher” work function is more negative. On a conventional energy level diagram with the vacuum level at the top, the “higher” work function is illustrated as being farther from the vacuum level in the downward direction. Therefore, the definitions of HOMO and LUMO levels follow different rules than those for the work function.

[0013] This document may describe layers, materials, regions, and devices by referring to the color of light emitted. Generally, as used herein, an emitting region that produces light of a particular color may include one or more emitting layers disposed on top of each other in a stacked manner.

[0014] As used herein, a "red" layer, material, region, or device refers to a layer, material, region, or device that emits light or whose emission spectrum has a peak in the range of about 580-700 nm. Similarly, a "green" layer, material, region, or device refers to a layer, material, region, or device that emits or has an emission spectrum with a peak wavelength in the range of about 500-600 nm; a "blue" layer, material, or device refers to a layer, material, or device that emits or has an emission spectrum with a peak wavelength in the range of about 400-500 nm; and a "yellow" layer, material, region, or device refers to a layer, material, region, or device with an emission spectrum with a peak wavelength in the range of about 540-600 nm. In some arrangements, individual regions, layers, materials, regions, or devices may provide separate "dark blue" and "light blue" light. As used herein, in an arrangement that provides separate "light blue" and "dark blue" components, the "dark blue" component refers to a component whose peak emission wavelength is at least about 4 nm smaller than the peak emission wavelength of the "light blue" component. Typically, the peak emission wavelength of the "light blue" component is in the range of approximately 465 nm to 500 nm, and the peak emission wavelength of the "dark blue" component is in the range of approximately 400 nm to 470 nm, but these ranges can vary for some configurations. In some arrangements, individual regions, layers, materials, areas, or devices can provide separate "near-infrared (NIR)" and "short-wave infrared (SWIR)" light. Typically, the "NIR" component has a peak emission wavelength in the range of approximately 700–1400 nm, and the "SWIR" component has a peak emission wavelength in the range of approximately 1400–3000 nm, but these ranges can vary depending on the configuration. Similarly, a color-changing layer refers to a layer that converts or modifies light of another color to light with a wavelength specified for said color. For example, a "red" color filter refers to a color filter that forms light with a wavelength in the range of approximately 580–700 nm. Generally, there are two types of color-changing layers: color filters that modify the spectrum by removing unwanted wavelengths of light, and color-changing layers that convert higher-energy photons into lower-energy ones. The "color" component refers to the component that produces or otherwise emits light of a particular color as previously described when activated or used. For example, "a first emission region of a first color" and "a second emission region of a second color different from the first color" describe two emission regions that emit two different colors as previously described when activated within the device.

[0015] As used herein, emitting materials, layers, and regions can be distinguished from each other and from other structures based on the light initially generated by said material, layer, or region, rather than by the light ultimately emitted by the same or different structures. Initial light generation is typically a result of energy level changes that lead to photon emission. For example, an organic emitting material can initially generate blue light, which can be converted into red or green light by a color filter, quantum dot, or other structure, causing the entire emitting stack or sub-pixel to emit red or green light. In this case, the initial emitting material or layer can be referred to as the "blue" component, even if the sub-pixel is a "red" or "green" component.

[0016] In some cases, the color of components, such as the color of emitting regions, subpixels, color-changing layers, etc., can preferably be described according to 1931 CIE coordinates. For example, a yellow emitting material may have multiple peak emission wavelengths, one in or near the edge of the "green" region and one in or near the edge of the "red" region, as previously described. Therefore, as used herein, each color item also corresponds to a shape in the 1931 CIE coordinate color space. The shape in the 1931 CIE color space is constructed by following the trajectory between two color points and any other interior points. For example, the interior shape parameters for red, green, blue, and yellow can be defined as follows:

[0017]

[0018] Further details about OLEDs and the definitions described above can be found in U.S. Patent No. 7,279,704, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Summary of the Invention

[0019] According to one embodiment, an organic light-emitting diode / device (OLED) is also provided. The OLED may include an anode, a cathode, and an organic layer disposed between the anode and the cathode. According to one embodiment, the organic light-emitting device is incorporated into one or more devices selected from consumer products, electronic component modules, and / or lighting panels.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the device may include at least one pixel having three or more sub-pixels. Each sub-pixel may include a substrate, a first electrode, and an organic emitting layer having an organic emitting material disposed above the electrode. Each sub-pixel may include an enhancement layer disposed above the organic emitting layer opposite the first electrode, the enhancement layer having a plasmonic material exhibiting surface plasmon resonance nonradiative coupling to the organic emitting material and transferring excited-state energy from the emitting material to a nonradiative mode of surface plasmon polaritons. Each sub-pixel may include an decoupling layer disposed above the enhancement layer, wherein the decoupling layer scatters or extracts energy from the surface plasmon polaritons in the form of photons into free space; and a color-changing layer disposed above the decoupling layer, wherein there is overlap between the transmission spectrum of the color-changing layer and the emission spectrum of the light output from the decoupling layer. In some embodiments, for at least one of three or more sub-pixels, the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the light emission or transmission spectrum from the color-changing layer may be between 30 nm larger or 30 nm smaller than the FWHM of the light emission spectrum from the decoupling layer.

[0021] Organic emitting materials can possess a total nonradiative decay rate constant. Total radiation attenuation rate constant The total nonradiative attenuation rate constant attributed to the enhancement layer and the total radiation attenuation rate constant attributed to the enhancement layer The enhancement layer can be positioned at a distance not exceeding a threshold distance from the organic emitter layer, where the threshold distance is the distance that satisfies the following condition:

[0022] In one embodiment, each sub-pixel of any pixel in at least one pixel of the device may have a different emissive material.

[0023] In one embodiment, at least two sub-pixels of any pixel in at least one pixel of the device may have different spectral outputs.

[0024] The organic emitting layer of each sub-pixel in at least one pixel may contain two or more emitting materials. The emitting materials may be fluorescent emitting materials, phosphorescent emitting materials, thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitting materials, doublet emitting materials, or some combination of these materials.

[0025] Each of three or more sub-pixels can be configured to emit light of at least one color, which can be red, green and / or blue.

[0026] The three or more sub-pixels can be four or more sub-pixels, and each of the four or more sub-pixels can be configured to emit light of at least one color, which can be red, green, blue, yellow, light blue and / or dark blue.

[0027] At least one of three or more sub-pixels can be configured to emit near-infrared light.

[0028] The distance between the decoupling layer and the color-changing layer can be at least 1 micrometer.

[0029] For at least one of the three or more sub-pixels, the FWHM of the light emission or transmission spectrum from the color-changing layer can be smaller than the FWHM of the light emission spectrum from the decoupling layer.

[0030] For at least one of the three or more sub-pixels, the FWHM of the light emission or transmission spectrum from the color-changing layer can be between 10 nm larger or smaller than the FWHM of the light emission spectrum from the decoupling layer, between 20 nm larger or smaller than the FWHM, and / or between 30 nm larger or smaller than the FWHM.

[0031] The emission spectrum of each of three or more sub-pixels from the display may have an emission wavelength (FWHM) of less than 80 nm, 60 nm, 40 nm, 30 nm, 20 nm, 10 nm, or 5 nm. The emission spectrum of each of three or more sub-pixels from the display may have an FWHM of less than 40 nm.

[0032] The coupling layer may have nanoparticles, and the nanoparticles may be metal particles. The nanoparticles of the device may include at least one of the following: silicon, silicon nitride, boron nitride, silicon carbide, carbon, diamond, zinc sulfide, zinc selenide, germanium, zinc telluride, potassium niobate, titanium oxide, antimony oxide, niobium pentoxide, tantalum pentoxide, vanadium oxide, vanadium pentoxide, gallium phosphate, bismuth oxide, gallium arsenide, and / or aluminum gallium. In one embodiment, the coupling layer may include a microlens array.

[0033] The nanoparticles and / or nanostructures in the coupling layer can be arranged in a periodic, quasi-periodic, and / or aperiodic array to form an electromagnetic mode generated by electromagnetic coupling between individual nanostructures. When multiple nanostructures in the device are arranged in an array, the spacing can be in the range of 100 nm to 1 μm. The periodic array can be at least one of a square mesh, a hexagonal mesh, a triangular mesh, and / or a one-dimensional grid. The nodes of the grid include individual nanostructures or a group of nanostructures with a predetermined spacing, which can be arranged in a square array, a hexagonal array, a quasi-periodic array, and / or a random array. Multiple nanostructures arranged in an aperiodic array can be randomly arranged. The size of each of the multiple nanostructures can be from 5 nm to 400 nm. By including liquid crystal or phase change materials, the refractive index around the first electrode of the device can be adjustable.

[0034] The nanoparticles and / or nanostructures in the coupling layer can be formed from: Ag particles, Al particles, Au particles, dielectric materials, semiconductor materials, metal alloys, mixtures of dielectric materials, stacks of one or more materials, and / or a material core of one type encapsulated by a shell of a different type of material. The nanoparticles and / or nanostructures can be encapsulated with an oxide layer, wherein the thickness of the oxide layer can be selected to tune the plasmon resonance wavelength of multiple nanoparticles or nanopatch antennas. The shape of the nanoparticles and / or nanostructures can be at least one of the following: cube, sphere, globular, cylinder, parallelepiped, rod-shaped, star-shaped, pyramidal, and / or multifaceted three-dimensional objects. The size of at least one of the nanoparticles and / or nanostructures can be from 5 nm to 1000 nm.

[0035] The outcoupling layer can reflect light from an external source, and the color-changing layer is configured to reduce reflected light in the visible light range of 400 nm to 700 nm by an amount greater than 60%, greater than 70%, greater than 75%, and / or greater than 80%.

[0036] Compared to displays lacking a color-changing layer, devices with a color-changing layer can reduce reflection in the visible light range of 400nm to 700nm by more than 60%, more than 70%, more than 75%, and / or more than 80%.

[0037] The transmittance of each sub-pixel of any pixel in at least one pixel of the device is such that, at the wavelength corresponding to the peak transmittance of the color-changing layer, the transmittance of the sub-pixel is reduced by an amount less than 30%, less than 20%, and / or less than 10% relative to the transmittance without the color-changing layer.

[0038] Compared to displays lacking a color-changing layer, devices with a color-changing layer can have their transmittance reduced by less than 30%, less than 20%, and less than 10% in the visible light range of 400nm to 700nm.

[0039] A full-color display can be part of a consumer electronic device, which may be a flat panel display, curved display, computer monitor, medical monitor, television, signboard, internal or external lighting and / or signal lights, head-up display, fully transparent or partially transparent display, flexible display, rollable display, foldable display, stretchable display, laser printer, telephone, mobile phone, tablet computer, phablet, personal digital assistant (PDA), wearable device, laptop computer, digital camera, camcorder, viewfinder, microdisplay with a diagonal of less than 2 inches, 3D display, virtual reality or augmented reality display, vehicle, video wall containing multiple displays tiled together, theater or stadium screen, and signage.

[0040] The decoupling layer in the device can be configured to decouple surface plasmon polaritons from the device in the form of photons.

[0041] The reinforcing layer in the device may be a second electrode.

[0042] The device may include a second electrode disposed above the reinforcement layer.

[0043] The device may include a second electrode disposed beneath the reinforcement layer.

[0044] The device may include a dielectric layer between the reinforcement layer and the decoupling layer. The device may include an additional dielectric layer above the reinforcement layer with a thickness between 10 nm and 5 μm. Attached Figure Description

[0045] Figure 1 An organic light-emitting device was displayed.

[0046] Figure 2 An inverted organic light-emitting device without an independent electron transport layer was demonstrated.

[0047] Figures 3A to 3F An exemplary arrangement of a plasmonic device including a color-changing layer according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0048] Generally, an OLED comprises at least one organic layer disposed between and electrically connected to both the anode and cathode. When a current is applied, holes are injected into the anode and electrons into the organic layer from the cathode. The injected holes and electrons migrate toward their respective oppositely charged electrodes. When electrons and holes are localized on the same molecule, an "exciton" is formed, which is a localized electron-hole pair with an excited energy state. When the exciton relaxes through a photoemission mechanism, light is emitted. In some cases, excitons may be localized on excimers or excited-state complexes. Non-radiative mechanisms (such as thermal relaxation) may also occur, but are generally considered undesirable.

[0049] Early OLEDs used emitting molecules that emitted light from a single state (“fluorescence”), as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,769,292, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Fluorescence emission typically occurs within timeframes of less than 10 nanoseconds.

[0050] Recently, OLEDs with emitting materials that emit light from the triplet state (“phosphorescence”) have been demonstrated. Baldo et al., “Highly Efficient Phosphorescent Emission from Organic Electroluminescent Devices,” Nature, Vol. 395, 151-154, 1998 (“Baldo-I”); and Baldo et al., “Very high-efficiency green organic light-emitting devices based on electrophosphorescence,” Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 75, 3, 4-6 (1999) (“Baldo-II”), are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Phosphorescence is described in more detail in columns 5-6 of U.S. Patent No. 7,279,704, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0051] Figure 1An organic light-emitting device 100 is shown. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Device 100 may include a substrate 110, an anode 115, a hole injection layer 120, a hole transport layer 125, an electron blocking layer 130, an emission layer 135, a hole blocking layer 140, an electron transport layer 145, an electron injection layer 150, a protective layer 155, a cathode 160, and a blocking layer 170. The cathode 160 is a composite cathode having a first conductive layer 162 and a second conductive layer 164. Device 100 can be fabricated by sequentially depositing the layers. The properties and functions of these various layers, as well as example materials, are described in more detail in columns 6-10 of US 7,279,704, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0052] Further examples of each of these layers are available. For instance, a flexible and transparent substrate-anode combination is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,844,363, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. An example of a p-doped hole transport layer is m-MTDATA doped with F4-TCNQ in a 50:1 molar ratio, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003 / 0230980, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Examples of emitting and host materials are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,303,238 to Thompson et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. An example of an n-doped electron transport layer is BPhen doped with Li in a 1:1 molar ratio, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003 / 0230980, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Examples of cathodes, comprising composite cathodes having a thin layer of metal (e.g., Mg:Ag) having an overlying transparent, conductive, sputtered ITO layer, are disclosed in their entirety in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,703,436 and 5,707,745, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Theories and uses of barrier layers are described in more detail in U.S. Patent No. 6,097,147 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003 / 0230980, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Examples of implantation layers are provided in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004 / 0174116, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Barrier layer 170 may be a single layer or multiple layers and may cover or surround other layers of the device. Barrier layer 170 may also surround substrate 110, and / or it may be disposed between the substrate and other layers of the device. Barrier layers may also be referred to as encapsulation, encapsulation layer, protective layer, or permeation barrier, and generally provide protection against moisture, ambient air, and other similar materials permeating other layers of the device. Examples of barrier layer materials and structures are provided in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,537,688, 6,597,111, 6,664,137, 6,835,950, 6,888,305, 6,888,307, 6,897,474, 7,187,119, and 7,683,534, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0053] Figure 2 An inverted OLED 200 is shown. The device includes a substrate 210, a cathode 215, an emitter layer 220, a hole transport layer 225, and an anode 230. The device 200 can be fabricated by sequentially depositing these layers. Because the most common OLED configuration has a cathode disposed above the anode, and the device 200 has a cathode 215 disposed below the anode 230, the device 200 can be referred to as an "inverted" OLED. Materials similar to those described with respect to device 100 can be used in the corresponding layers of the device 200. Figure 2Provide an example of how some layers can be omitted from the structure of device 100.

[0054] Figure 1 and 2 The simple layered structures illustrated herein are provided by way of non-limiting examples, and it should be understood that embodiments of the invention can be used in conjunction with a variety of other structures. The specific materials and structures described are exemplary in nature, and other materials and structures can be used. Functional OLEDs can be obtained by combining the various layers described in different ways, or the layers can be omitted entirely based on design, performance, and cost factors. Other layers not specifically described may also be included. Materials other than those specifically described may be used. Although many examples provided herein describe various layers as comprising a single material, it should be understood that combinations of materials, such as mixtures of host and dopant, or more generally, mixtures, can be used. Furthermore, the layers may have various sublayers. The names given to the various layers herein are not intended to be strictly limiting. For example, in device 200, hole transport layer 225 transports holes and injects holes into emitter layer 220, and can be described as a hole transport layer or a hole injection layer. In one embodiment, an OLED may be described as having an “organic layer” disposed between a cathode and an anode. This organic layer may comprise a single layer, or may further comprise, for example, regarding Figure 1 and 2 Multiple layers of the different organic materials mentioned above.

[0055] Structures and materials not specifically described can also be used, such as OLEDs (PLEDs) containing polymeric materials, as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Patent No. 5,247,190 to Friend et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. By another example, OLEDs with a single organic layer can be used. OLEDs can be stacked, for example, as described in, U.S. Patent No. 5,707,745 to Forrest et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. OLED structures can be deviated from... Figure 1 and 2 The simple layered structure described herein. For example, the substrate may include angled reflective surfaces to improve out-coupling, such as the tabletop structure described in U.S. Patent No. 6,091,195 to Forrest et al., and / or the recessed structure described in U.S. Patent No. 5,834,893 to Bulovic et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0056] In some embodiments disclosed herein, the emission layer or material (e.g. Figure 1-2The emitting layers 135 and 220 shown herein may include quantum dots. Unless explicitly indicated otherwise or as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the term "emitting layer" or "emitting material" as disclosed herein may include organic emitting materials and / or emitting materials containing quantum dots or equivalent structures. Generally, an emitting layer comprises emitting material within a host matrix. Such an emitting layer may comprise only quantum dot material that converts light emitted by a separate emitting material or other emitting body, or it may also comprise a separate emitting material or other emitting body, or it may emit light directly by applying an electric current. Similarly, color-changing layers, filters, upconversion or downconversion layers, or structures may comprise materials containing quantum dots, but such layers are not considered "emitting layers" as disclosed herein. Typically, an "emitting layer" or material is a material that emits initial light based on injected charge, wherein the initial light may be altered by another layer, such as a filter or other color-changing layer, which does not itself emit the initial light within the device but may re-emit altered light with different spectral content based on absorption and downconversion of the initial light emitted by the emitting layer to lower energy light emission. In some embodiments disclosed herein, color-changing layers, color filters, up-conversion and / or down-conversion layers may be disposed outside the OLED device, for example, above or below the electrodes of the OLED device.

[0057] Unless otherwise specified, any of the layers in the various embodiments may be deposited by any suitable method. For organic layers, preferred methods include thermal evaporation, inkjet printing (as described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,013,982 and 6,087,196, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety), organic vapor deposition (OVPD) (as described in U.S. Patent No. 6,337,102 by Forrest et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety), and deposition by organic vapor jet printing (OVJP) (as described in U.S. Patent No. 7,431,968, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Other suitable deposition methods include spin coating and other solution-based processes. Solution-based processes are preferably performed in a nitrogen or inert atmosphere. For other layers, preferred methods include thermal evaporation. Preferred patterning methods include deposition via a mask, cold soldering (as described in U.S. Patents 6,294,398 and 6,468,819, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety), and patterning associated with some of the deposition methods such as inkjet and OVJD. Other methods may also be used. The material to be deposited may be modified to suit a particular deposition method. For example, substituents, such as alkyl and aryl groups, that are branched or unbranched and preferably contain at least three carbons, may be used in small molecules to enhance their solution handling ability. Substituents having 20 or more carbons may be used, with 3 to 20 carbons being a preferred range. Materials with asymmetric structures may have better solution handling ability than materials with symmetric structures because asymmetric materials may have a lower tendency to recrystallize. Dendritic polymer substituents may be used to enhance the solution handling ability of small molecules.

[0058] Devices manufactured according to embodiments of the present invention may optionally further include a barrier layer. One use of the barrier layer is to protect the electrodes and organic layers from damage caused by exposure to harmful substances in an environment including moisture, vapor, and / or gases. The barrier layer may be deposited on, under, or beside a substrate or electrode, or on any other part of the device, including edges. The barrier layer may comprise a single layer or multiple layers. The barrier layer can be formed using various known chemical vapor deposition techniques and may comprise compositions having a single phase and compositions having multiple phases. Any suitable material or combination of materials may be used for the barrier layer. The barrier layer may contain inorganic or organic compounds, or both. Preferred barrier layers comprise a mixture of polymeric and non-polymeric materials, as described in U.S. Patent No. 7,968,146, PCT Patent Application Nos. PCT / US2007 / 023098 and PCT / US2009 / 042829, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. For the process to be considered a "mixture," the aforementioned polymeric and non-polymeric materials constituting the barrier layer should be deposited and / or deposited simultaneously under the same reaction conditions. The weight ratio of polymeric to non-polymeric materials can range from 95:5 to 5:95. The polymeric and non-polymeric materials can be produced from the same precursor material. In one example, the mixture of polymeric and non-polymeric materials is essentially composed of polymeric silicon and inorganic silicon.

[0059] In some embodiments, at least one of the anode, cathode, or a new layer disposed above the organic emitter layer serves as a reinforcement layer. The reinforcement layer comprises a plasmonic material exhibiting surface plasmon resonance, which is nonradiatively coupled to the emitter material and transfers excited-state energy from the emitter material to the nonradiative mode of the surface plasmon polaritons. The reinforcement layer is provided at a threshold distance from the organic emitter layer, wherein, due to the presence of the reinforcement layer, the emitter material has a total nonradiative decay rate constant and a total radiative decay rate constant, and the threshold distance is the distance at which the total nonradiative decay rate constant is equal to the total radiative decay rate constant, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 9,960,386, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments, the OLED further comprises an excoupling layer. In some embodiments, the excoupling layer is disposed above the reinforcement layer on the opposite side of the organic emitter layer. In some embodiments, the excoupling layer is disposed on the side of the emitter layer opposite to the reinforcement layer, but still allows energy to be decoupled or extracted from the energy of the surface plasmon polaritons. In some embodiments, this energy is scattered into free space in the form of photons. In other embodiments, energy is scattered or extracted from the surface plasmon modes of the device into other modes, such as, but not limited to, organic waveguide modes, substrate modes, or another waveguide mode. If energy is scattered or extracted into the non-free-space modes of the OLED, other decoupling schemes can be incorporated to extract energy into free space. In some embodiments, one or more dielectric spacer layers may be disposed between the enhancement layer and the decoupling layer. The plasmon stack may include a dielectric spacer material (i.e., a dielectric spacer layer) whose refractive index is based on the color selection of light emitted by the organic emitting material. In one embodiment, the dielectric spacer material (i.e., the dielectric spacer layer) may be positioned between the enhancement layer and the nanoparticles in the plasmon stack. In an alternative embodiment, the dielectric spacer material may be positioned between two electrodes in the plasmon stack. In yet another embodiment, the dielectric spacer material may be positioned on either side of either electrode, outside the plasmon stack. In yet another embodiment, the dielectric spacer material may be positioned between the enhancement layer and the decoupling layer or may be integrated within the decoupling layer. In some embodiments, the dielectric spacer layer may be present only in plasmonic stack sub-pixels, only in non-platinonic stack sub-pixels, or in both. Examples of materials suitable for the dielectric spacer layer include dielectric materials, including organic, inorganic, perovskite, and oxide materials, and may include stacks and / or mixtures of these materials.

[0060] The enhancement layer modifies the effective properties of the medium in which the emitter material resides, thereby causing any or all of the following: reduced emissivity, modification of emission spectral shape, changes in emission intensity and angle, changes in the stability of the emitter material, changes in OLED efficiency, and reduced efficiency degradation of the OLED device. Placing the enhancement layer on the cathode side, anode side, or both sides produces an OLED device that utilizes any of the above effects. In addition to the specific functional layers mentioned herein and illustrated in the various OLED examples shown in the figures, the OLED according to the invention may also include any of the other functional layers commonly found in OLEDs.

[0061] The reinforcing layer can be composed of plasmonic materials, optically active metamaterials, or hyperbolic metamaterials. As used herein, plasmonic materials are materials whose real portion of the dielectric constant crosses zero in the visible or ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum. In some embodiments, the plasmonic material comprises at least one metal. In such embodiments, the metal may include at least one of the following: Ag, Al, Au, Ir, Pt, Ni, Cu, W, Ta, Fe, Cr, Mg, Ga, Rh, Ti, Ru, Pd, In, Bi, Ca, alloys or mixtures of these materials, and stacks of these materials. Generally, metamaterials are media composed of different materials, wherein the medium as a whole acts differently than the sum of its material parts. Specifically, we define optically active metamaterials as materials having both a negative dielectric constant and negative permeability. On the other hand, hyperbolic metamaterials are anisotropic media, wherein the permittivity or permeability has different signs for different spatial orientations. Optically active metamaterials and hyperbolic metamaterials are strictly distinguished from many other photonic structures, such as distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs), because the medium must be uniform along the length scale of the light wavelength in the direction of propagation. Using terminology understood by those skilled in the art, the dielectric constant of the metamaterial in the direction of propagation can be approximated by an effective medium. Plasmon materials and metamaterials offer methods for controlling light propagation that can enhance OLED performance in a variety of ways.

[0062] In some embodiments, the enhancement layer is provided as a planar layer. In other embodiments, the enhancement layer has wavelength-sized features arranged periodically, quasi-periodicly, or randomly, or subwavelength-sized features arranged periodically, quasi-periodicly, or randomly. In some embodiments, the wavelength-sized features and subwavelength-sized features have sharp edges.

[0063] In some embodiments, the decoupling layer is characterized by a wavelength size arranged periodically, quasi-periodicly, or randomly, or by a subwavelength size arranged periodically, quasi-periodicly, or randomly. In some embodiments, the decoupling layer may be composed of a plurality of nanoparticles, and in other embodiments, the decoupling layer is composed of a plurality of nanoparticles disposed on a material. In these embodiments, decoupling can be tuned by at least one of the following: changing the size of the plurality of nanoparticles, changing the shape of the plurality of nanoparticles, changing the material of the plurality of nanoparticles, adjusting the thickness of the material, changing the refractive index of the material or an additional layer disposed on the plurality of nanoparticles, changing the thickness of the reinforcing layer, and / or changing the material of the reinforcing layer. The plurality of nanoparticles of the device may be formed from at least one of the following: a metal, a dielectric material, a semiconductor material, a metal alloy, a mixture of dielectric materials, a stack or layer of one or more materials, and / or a core of one type of material, wherein the core is coated with a shell of a different type of material. In some embodiments, the decoupling layer is composed of at least metal nanoparticles, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of: Ag, Al, Au, Ir, Pt, Ni, Cu, W, Ta, Fe, Cr, Mg, Ga, Rh, Ti, Ru, Pd, In, Bi, Ca, alloys or mixtures of these materials, and stacks of these materials. Multiple nanoparticles may have additional layers disposed on them. In some embodiments, the polarization of emission can be tuned using the decoupling layer. Changing the dimension and periodicity of the decoupling layer can select a type of polarization that preferentially decouples to air. In some embodiments, the decoupling layer also functions as an electrode of the device.

[0064] In some embodiments, the decoupling layer may be a metal film having wavelength or subwavelength dimensions that partially or completely etch through the film thickness. These features may be arranged periodically, quasi-periodically, or randomly. Within the same decoupling layer, the features may all partially etch through the film thickness, all completely etch through the film thickness, or both partially and completely etch through the film thickness.

[0065] It is believed that the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of fluorescent OLEDs can exceed the 25% spin statistical limit through delayed fluorescence. As used in this paper, there are two types of delayed fluorescence: P-type delayed fluorescence and E-type delayed fluorescence. P-type delayed fluorescence is generated by triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA).

[0066] On the other hand, E-type delayed fluorescence does not depend on the collision of two triplet states, but rather on the thermal population between the triplet and singlet excited states. Compounds capable of producing E-type delayed fluorescence are required to have a very small singlet-triplet gap. Thermal energy can activate transitions from the triplet state back to the singlet state. This type of delayed fluorescence is also called thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF). A significant characteristic of TADF is that the delayed component increases with increasing temperature due to increased thermal energy. If the reverse intersystem crossing rate is fast enough to minimize nonradiative decay from the triplet state, the fraction of singlet excited states that are refilled can reach 75%. The total singlet fraction can be 100%, far exceeding the spin statistical limit of electrically generated excitons.

[0067] E-type delayed fluorescence can be observed in excited complex systems or single compounds. Unbound by theory, it is believed that E-type delayed fluorescence requires the luminescent material to have a small singlet-triplet band gap (ΔES-T). Organic, metal-free donor-acceptor luminescent materials may be able to achieve this. The emission of these materials is typically characterized by donor-acceptor charge transfer (CT) emission. Spatial separation of the HOMO and LUMO in these donor-acceptor compounds usually results in a small ΔES-T. These states may involve CT states. Typically, donor-acceptor luminescent materials are constructed by linking an electron donor moiety (e.g., an amino or carbazole derivative) with an electron acceptor moiety (e.g., an N-containing six-membered aromatic ring).

[0068] Devices manufactured according to embodiments of the present invention can be incorporated into a wide variety of electronic component modules (or units), which can be incorporated into a variety of electronic products or intermediate components. Examples of such electronic products or intermediate components include displays, lighting devices (such as discrete light source devices or lighting panels), etc., which can be utilized by end-user product manufacturers. The electronic component module may optionally include driving electronics and / or a power supply. Devices manufactured according to embodiments of the present invention can be incorporated into a wide variety of consumer products having one or more electronic component modules (or units) incorporated therein. A consumer product incorporating an OLED is disclosed, wherein the OLED comprises compounds of the present disclosure in its organic layer. The consumer product should include any type of product containing one or more light sources and / or one or more of some type of visual display. Examples of the consumer products include flat panel displays, curved displays, computer monitors, medical monitors, televisions, billboards, lights for internal or external lighting and / or signaling, head-up displays, fully transparent or partially transparent displays, flexible displays, rollable displays, foldable displays, stretchable displays, laser printers, telephones, cellular phones, tablet computers, tablet phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wearable devices, laptop computers, digital cameras, camcorders, viewfinders, microdisplays with a diagonal of less than 2 inches, 3D displays, virtual reality or augmented reality displays, vehicles, video walls comprising multiple tiled displays, theater or stadium screens, and signage. Various control mechanisms, including passive and active matrices, can be used to control the devices manufactured according to the invention. Many of the devices are intended for use in temperature ranges comfortable for humans, such as 18°C ​​to 30°C, and more preferably at room temperature (20-25°C), but can be used outside this temperature range (e.g., -40°C to 80°C). Additionally, devices made according to embodiments of the invention can be incorporated into optical communication devices.

[0069] The materials and structures described herein can be applied to devices other than OLEDs. For example, other optoelectronic devices such as organic solar cells and organic photodetectors can utilize the materials and structures described herein. More generally, organic devices such as organic transistors can utilize the materials and structures described herein.

[0070] In some embodiments, the OLED has one or more features selected from the group consisting of: flexible, rollable, foldable, stretchable, and bendable. In some embodiments, the OLED is transparent or translucent. In some embodiments, the OLED further comprises a layer including carbon nanotubes.

[0071] In some embodiments, the OLED further comprises a layer including a delayed phosphor emitter. In some embodiments, the OLED comprises an RGB pixel arrangement or a white pixel arrangement with a color filter. In some embodiments, the OLED is a mobile device, a handheld device, or a wearable device. In some embodiments, the OLED is a display panel with a diagonal of less than 10 inches or an area of ​​less than 50 square inches. In some embodiments, the OLED is a display panel with a diagonal of at least 10 inches or an area of ​​at least 50 square inches. In some embodiments, the OLED is a lighting panel.

[0072] In some embodiments of the launch area, the launch area further includes a body.

[0073] In some embodiments, the compound may be an emission dopant. In some embodiments, the compound may generate emission via phosphorescence, fluorescence, thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF, also known as E-type delayed fluorescence), triplet-triplet annihilation, or a combination of these processes.

[0074] The OLEDs disclosed herein can be incorporated into one or more consumer products, electronic component modules, and lighting panels. The organic layer may be an emission layer, and the compound may be an emission dopant in some embodiments, while in other embodiments it may be a non-emission dopant.

[0075] The organic layer may also include a host. In some embodiments, two or more hosts are preferred. In some embodiments, the host used may be a) bipolar, b) electron transport, c) hole transport, or d) wide-bandgap material that plays a minor role in charge transport. In some embodiments, the host may include a metal complex. The host may be an inorganic compound.

[0076] Combination with other materials

[0077] The materials described herein for use in specific layers of organic light-emitting devices can be used in combination with a wide variety of other materials present in the device. For example, the emission dopants disclosed herein can be used in combination with a wide variety of possible host layers, transport layers, blocking layers, injection layers, electrodes, and other layers. The materials described or mentioned below are non-limiting examples of materials that can be used in combination with the compounds disclosed herein, and those skilled in the art can readily consult the literature to identify other materials that can be used in combination.

[0078] The various emitting and non-emitting layers and arrangements disclosed herein can be made of different materials. Examples of suitable materials are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0229663, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0079] Conductive dopants:

[0080] Charge transport layers can be doped with conductive dopants to substantially alter their charge carrier density, which in turn changes their conductivity. Conductivity is increased by generating charge carriers in the matrix material and, depending on the type of dopant, can also achieve changes in the Fermi level of the semiconductor. Hole transport layers can be doped with p-type conductive dopants, while n-type conductive dopants are used in electron transport layers.

[0081] HIL / HTL:

[0082] The hole injection / transport materials used in this invention are not particularly limited, and any compound can be used, as long as the compound is commonly used as a hole injection / transport material.

[0083] EBL:

[0084] An electron blocking layer (EBL) can be used to reduce the number of electrons and / or excitons leaving the emitter layer. The presence of such a blocking layer in a device can result in generally higher efficiency and / or longer lifetime compared to similar devices lacking a blocking layer. Furthermore, the blocking layer can be used to confine emission to a desired area of ​​the OLED. In some embodiments, the EBL material has a higher LUMO (closer to vacuum level) and / or higher triplet energy compared to the emitter closest to the EBL interface. In some embodiments, the EBL material has a higher LUMO and / or higher triplet energy compared to one or more of the bodies closest to the EBL interface. In one aspect, the compound used in the EBL contains the same molecules or the same functional groups as those used in one of the bodies described below.

[0085] main body:

[0086] The light-emitting layer of the organic EL device of the present invention preferably contains at least a metal complex as the light-emitting material, and may contain a host material using a metal complex as a dopant material. Examples of the host material are not particularly limited, and any metal complex or organic compound can be used, as long as the triplet energy of the host is greater than that of the dopant. Any host material can be used with any dopant, as long as the triplet criterion is satisfied.

[0087] HBL:

[0088] Hole blocking layers (HBLs) can be used to reduce the number of holes and / or excitons leaving the emitter layer. The presence of such blocking layers in a device can result in generally higher efficiency and / or longer lifetime compared to similar devices lacking a blocking layer. Furthermore, blocking layers can be used to confine emission to a desired area of ​​the OLED. In some embodiments, the HBL material has a lower HOMO (farthest from vacuum level) and / or higher triplet energy compared to the emitter closest to the HBL interface. In some embodiments, the HBL material has a lower HOMO and / or higher triplet energy compared to one or more of the bodies closest to the HBL interface.

[0089] ETL:

[0090] An electron transport layer (ETL) may comprise a material capable of transporting electrons. The ETL may be intrinsic (undoped) or doped. Doping can be used to enhance conductivity. Examples of ETL materials are not particularly limited, and any metal complex or organic compound may be used, provided it is typically used for electron transport.

[0091] Charge generation layer (CGL)

[0092] In tandem or stacked OLEDs, the conduction layer (CGL) plays a fundamental role in performance. It consists of an n-doped layer and a p-doped layer, respectively, for injecting electrons and holes. Electrons and holes are supplied by the CGL and the electrodes. Electrons and holes consumed in the CGL are refilled by electrons and holes injected from the cathode and anode, respectively; subsequently, the bipolar current gradually reaches a steady state. Typical CGL materials include n- and p-conductive dopants used in the transport layer.

[0093] Plasmonic PHOLEDs (phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes) achieve improved operating lifetime, high efficiency, and tunable emission modes, including Lambertian emission. When the device is configured with an excoupling layer (i.e., nanopatch particles based on an excoupling (NPO) array) above the device cathode that scatters or extracts energy in the form of photons from surface plasmonic polaritons into free space, it is important to reduce the device's reflectivity to achieve high contrast. While this can be accomplished using circular polarizers, this would significantly reduce display efficiency. Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter use color-changing layers, such as color filters, disposed below, inside, and / or above each sub-pixel to reduce reflections from the device surface.

[0094] Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter combine color-changing layers and encapsulation layers (e.g., color filters (COEs)) with plasmonic devices. In the disclosed embodiments, positioning the color-changing layers below, inside, and / or above the sub-pixels allows a portion of the spectrum generated by the sub-pixels to be emitted from the display, while all other wavelengths can be blocked from entering or leaving the device and from reflection from any surface within the device, whether cathode, anode, decoupling layer, or NPO. Furthermore, the combination of COE and NPO can redirect photons entering the device from the environment, from reflection toward the user to reflection into a black matrix that is part of the COE. These ambient photons are then absorbed by the black matrix material, and the NPO helps reduce the reflectivity of the display.

[0095] Figures 3A to 3F An exemplary arrangement of a plasmonic device including one or more color-changing layers is shown according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter. Figures 3A to 3F The arrangement shown includes one or more color-changing layers (e.g., color filters, quantum dot downconversion layers, etc.), dielectric layers, encapsulation layers, decoupling layers, enhancement layers, one or more electrodes (e.g., anodes, cathodes, etc.), an emission layer (EML), an OLED, and a substrate. Although Figures 3A to 3F A single color-changing layer is shown, but embodiments may exist in which multiple color-changing layers are stacked within each pixel or sub-pixel (the multiple color-changing layers at least partially overlap from top to bottom within each pixel or sub-pixel), and / or embodiments may exist in which each pixel or sub-pixel within the same device has multiple color-changing layers that do not overlap from top to bottom, but the color-changing layers are different. In some embodiments, one or more color-changing layers may also include an absorbing material within the one or more color-changing layers, or include an absorbing material that absorbs light of a certain wavelength as one or more separate layers. Here, the absorbing material may be present in a separate layer containing only the absorbing material and / or in a separate layer containing the absorbing material and other materials.

[0096] Figures 3A to 3FThe illustrated embodiment may be part of a device including at least one pixel having three or more sub-pixels. Each sub-pixel may include a substrate, a first electrode, and an organic emitting layer (EML) having an organic emitting material disposed above the electrode. Each sub-pixel may include a reinforcement layer disposed above the organic emitting layer opposite the first electrode, the reinforcement layer having a plasmonic material exhibiting surface plasmon resonance nonradiative coupling to the organic emitting material and transferring excited-state energy from the emitting material to a nonradiative mode of surface plasmon polaritons. Each sub-pixel may include an decoupling layer disposed above the reinforcement layer, wherein the decoupling layer scatters energy from surface plasmon polaritons into free space in the form of photons; and a color-changing layer disposed above the decoupling layer, wherein there is an overlap between the transmission spectrum of the color-changing layer and the emission spectrum of the light output from the decoupling layer. For at least one of three or more sub-pixels, the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the light emission or transmission spectrum from the color-changing layer can be between 30 nm larger or 30 nm smaller than the FWHM of the light emission spectrum from the decoupling layer.

[0097] Organic emitting materials can possess a total nonradiative decay rate constant. Total radiation attenuation rate constant The total nonradiative attenuation rate constant attributed to the enhancement layer and the total radiation attenuation rate constant attributed to the enhancement layer The enhancement layer can be positioned at a distance not exceeding a threshold distance from the organic emitter layer, where the threshold distance is the distance that satisfies the following condition:

[0098] In some embodiments, each sub-pixel of any pixel in at least one pixel of the device may have different emitting materials. At least two sub-pixels of any pixel in at least one pixel of the device may have different spectral outputs. The organic emitting layer of each sub-pixel in at least one pixel may contain two or more emitting materials. The organic emitting layer of each sub-pixel in at least one pixel may contain two or more emitting materials, which may be fluorescent emitting materials, phosphorescent emitting materials, TADF emitting materials, doublet emitting materials, or some combination of these materials.

[0099] In some embodiments, each of three or more sub-pixels may be configured to emit light of at least one color, such as red, green, and / or blue. In some embodiments, the three or more sub-pixels may be four or more sub-pixels, and each of the four or more sub-pixels may be configured to emit light of at least one color, such as red, green, blue, yellow, light blue, and / or dark blue. In some embodiments, at least one of the three or more sub-pixels may be configured to emit near-infrared light. The near-infrared light may have a peak emission wavelength in the range of about 700 nm to 2500 nm.

[0100] The distance between the decoupling layer and the color-changing layer can be at least 0.01 micrometers, 0.3 micrometers, 1 micrometer, 3 micrometers, 10 micrometers, at least 20 micrometers, at least 50 micrometers and / or at least 100 micrometers.

[0101] For at least one of the three or more sub-pixels, the field-wheat-humb (FWHM) of the light emission or transmission spectrum from the color-changing layer may be smaller than the FWHM of the light emission spectrum from the decoupling layer. In some embodiments, for at least one of the three or more sub-pixels, the FWHM of the light emission or transmission spectrum from the color-changing layer may be between 10 nm larger or smaller than the FWHM of the light emission spectrum from the decoupling layer, between 20 nm larger or smaller than the FWHM, and / or between 30 nm larger or smaller than the FWHM.

[0102] The emission spectrum of each of the three or more sub-pixels from the display may have an FWHM of less than 80 nm, less than 60 nm, less than 40 nm, less than 30 nm, less than 20 nm, less than 10 nm and / or less than 5 nm.

[0103] The excoupling layer may have nanoparticles, and the nanoparticles may be metallic particles. The nanoparticles of the device may include at least one of the following: silicon, silicon nitride, boron nitride, silicon carbide, carbon, diamond, zinc sulfide, zinc selenide, germanium, zinc telluride, potassium niobate, titanium oxide, antimony oxide, niobium pentoxide, tantalum pentoxide, vanadium oxide, vanadium pentoxide, gallium phosphate, bismuth oxide, gallium arsenide, and / or aluminum gallium. In some embodiments, the excoupling layer may reflect light from an external source, and the color-changing layer is configured to reduce reflected light in the visible light range of 400 nm to 700 nm by an amount greater than 60%, greater than 70%, greater than 75%, and / or greater than 80%.

[0104] In embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, compared to a display lacking a color-changing layer, a device having a color-changing layer exhibits a reduction in reflectance of greater than 60%, greater than 70%, greater than 75%, and / or greater than 80% in the visible light range of 400 nm to 700 nm. The transmittance of each sub-pixel of any pixel in at least one pixel of the device is such that, at a wavelength corresponding to the peak transmittance of the color-changing layer, the transmittance of the sub-pixel is reduced by less than 30%, less than 20%, and / or less than 10% compared to the transmittance without the color-changing layer. Compared to a display lacking a color-changing layer, a device having a color-changing layer exhibits a reduction in transmittance of less than 30%, less than 20%, and / or less than 10% in the visible light range of 400 nm to 700 nm.

[0105] In some embodiments, the decoupling layer in the device may be configured to decouple surface plasmon polaritons from the device in the form of photons. The enhancement layer in the device may be a second electrode. In some embodiments, the device may include a second electrode disposed above the enhancement layer. In other embodiments, the device may include a second electrode disposed below the enhancement layer. In some embodiments, the device may include a dielectric layer between the enhancement layer and the decoupling layer. The device may include an additional dielectric layer above the enhancement layer with a thickness between 10 nm and 5 μm.

[0106] It should be understood that the various embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. For example, many of the materials and structures described herein may be substituted with other materials and structures without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention as claimed may therefore include variations of the specific examples and preferred embodiments described herein, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It should be understood that various theories regarding why the invention works are not intended to be limiting.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: At least one pixel comprising three or more sub-pixels, wherein each sub-pixel comprises: Substrate; First electrode; An organic emission layer containing an organic emission material disposed above the electrode; and A reinforcement layer, disposed above the organic emitter layer and opposite to the first electrode, comprises a plasmonic material that exhibits surface plasmon resonance nonradiative coupling to the organic emitter material and transfers excited-state energy from the emitter material to the nonradiative mode of surface plasmon polaritons. An excoupling layer disposed above the enhancement layer, wherein the excoupling layer scatters or extracts energy from the surface plasmon polaritons into free space in the form of photons; and A color-changing layer is disposed above the decoupling layer, wherein the transmission spectrum of the color-changing layer overlaps with the emission spectrum of the light output from the decoupling layer. For at least one of the three or more sub-pixels, the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the light emission or transmission spectrum from the color-changing layer is between 30 nm larger or 30 nm smaller than the FWHM of the light emission spectrum from the decoupling layer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the organic emitting material has a total nonradiative decay rate constant. Total radiation attenuation rate constant The total nonradiative attenuation rate constant attributed to the enhancement layer and the total radiation attenuation rate constant attributed to the enhancement layer and The enhancement layer is disposed at a distance not exceeding a threshold distance from the organic emission layer, wherein the threshold distance is a distance that satisfies the following condition:

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each sub-pixel of any pixel in the at least one pixel of the apparatus has a different emissive material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the organic emitting layer of at least one sub-pixel of the at least one pixel comprises two or more emitting materials, the emitting materials being fluorescent emitting materials, phosphorescent emitting materials, thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitting materials, doublet emitting materials, or some combination of these materials.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the three or more sub-pixels is configured to emit light of at least one color, the color being selected from the group consisting of red, green and blue.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the three or more sub-pixels comprise four or more sub-pixels, and wherein each of the four or more sub-pixels is configured to emit light of at least one color, the color being selected from the group consisting of: red, green, blue, yellow, light blue, and dark blue.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distance between the decoupling layer and the color-changing layer is at least 1 micrometer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein for at least one of the three or more sub-pixels, the light emission or transmission spectrum FWHM from the color-changing layer is selected from at least one of the following groups: between 10 nm larger or smaller than the light emission spectrum FWHM from the decoupling layer, between 20 nm larger or smaller than the FWHM, and between 30 nm larger or smaller than the FWHM.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the emission spectrum of each of the three or more sub-pixels from the display has an FWHM less than one selected from the group consisting of: 80 nm, 60 nm, 40 nm, 30 nm, 20 nm, 10 nm, and 5 nm.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outcoupling layer is configured to reflect light from an external source, and wherein the color-changing layer is configured to reduce reflected light in the visible light range of 400 nm to 700 nm by at least one amount selected from the group consisting of: greater than 60%, greater than 70%, greater than 75%, and greater than 80%.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein, relative to a display lacking a color-changing layer, the device having the color-changing layer exhibits a reduction in reflectance in the visible light range of 400 nm to 700 nm by an amount selected from the group consisting of: greater than 60%, greater than 70%, greater than 75%, and greater than 80%.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmittance of each sub-pixel of any pixel in the at least one pixel of the apparatus is such that, at a wavelength corresponding to the peak transmittance of the color-changing layer, the transmittance of the sub-pixel is reduced by an amount selected from the group consisting of: less than 30%, less than 20%, and less than 10%.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein, relative to the display lacking the color-changing layer, the device having the color-changing layer exhibits a reduction in transmittance in the visible light range of 400 nm to 700 nm by an amount selected from the group consisting of: less than 30%, less than 20%, and less than 10%.

14. A consumer electronic device comprising the means according to claim 1.

15. The consumer electronic device of claim 14, wherein the device is at least one type selected from the group consisting of: flat panel displays, curved displays, computer monitors, medical monitors, televisions, billboards, internal or external lighting and / or signal lights, head-up displays, fully transparent or partially transparent displays, flexible displays, rollable displays, foldable displays, stretchable displays, laser printers, telephones, mobile phones, tablet computers, tablet phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wearable devices, laptop computers, digital cameras, video recorders, viewfinders, microdisplays with a diagonal of less than 2 inches, 3D displays, virtual reality or augmented reality displays, vehicles, video walls comprising multiple displays tiled together, theater or stadium screens, and signs.

Images