Fluorinated Metal Complexes for Large-Area Organic Electronic Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing organic electronic components using gas-phase deposition are limited in their ability to coat large-area substrates due to the thermal instability of metal complexes when they undergo collisions with the walls of the deposition source, leading to decomposition and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The use of metal complexes with specific fluorinated substituents, such as branched or unbranched fluorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons, which provide enhanced thermal stability and allow for deposition via sources where the dopant collides with multiple walls, enabling efficient large-area coating without decomposition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If gas-phase deposition is used to produce organic electronic layers, then manufacturing efficiency and device performance are improved, but the method is limited in coating large-area substrates due to thermal instability of metal complexes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical structure of metal complexes by introducing fluorinated substituents (such as CF3 groups) to enhance their thermal stability. This parameter change in molecular composition allows the complexes to withstand higher temperatures and repeated wall collisions during gas-phase deposition, enabling coating of large-area substrates while maintaining manufacturing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite organic electronic layers by co-evaporating matrix materials with thermally stabilized metal complexes. This composite approach combines the electrical functionality of metal complexes with the structural properties of matrix materials, achieving both large-area coverage and high device performance through gas-phase deposition
2Reliability
If metal complexes are used as dopants to improve conductivity, then charge transport is enhanced, but thermal stability decreases leading to decomposition during deposition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent systematically modifies the chemical parameters of metal complexes by incorporating fluorinated alkyl groups (such as trifluoromethyl groups) into the ligand structure. This parameter change increases the thermal stability of the complexes without compromising their doping functionality, allowing them to maintain both enhanced conductivity and resistance to thermal decomposition during gas-phase deposition processes
3Productivity
If conventional metal complexes are deposited via gas-phase deposition, then efficient coating is achieved, but decomposition occurs upon collision with source walls reducing doping effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal and chemical parameters of metal complexes through fluorine substitution, raising their decomposition temperatures well above the deposition process temperature. This parameter modification ensures that complexes remain intact during multiple wall collisions in the deposition source, maintaining doping effectiveness while preserving deposition efficiency for producing high-quality organic electronic devices
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for the production of organic electronic components with improved thermal stability, elevated optical transparency, and effective doping strengths, making the process more cost-effective and suitable for industrial-scale production.
Implementation Method 1
The production of layers of organic electronic devices by vacuum processes, in contrast, proceeds by means of sublimation, thus by thermal evaporation.
Implementation Method 2
The production of layers of organic electronic devices by vacuum processes, in contrast, proceeds by means of sublimation, thus by thermal evaporation. The organic layers are here deposited from the gas phase onto a substrate or a pre-existing layer.
Implementation Method 3
When carrying out deposition from point sources, the material to be deposited is evaporated in a crucible under vacuum conditions. Once the material has evaporated, due to the high average free path length under a vacuum (10−5 to 10−6 mbar) the molecules land on the substrate without further collisions.
Data Source
AI summary
A metal complex is disclosed. In an embodiment a metal complex includes at least one metal atom M and at least one ligand L attached to the metal atom M, wherein the ligand L has the following structure:wherein E1 and E2 are oxygen, wherein the substituent R1 is selected from the group consisting of branched or unbranched, fluorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons with 1 to 10 C atoms, wherein n=1 to 5, wherein the substituent R2 is selected from the group consisting of branched or unbranched aliphatic hydrocarbons with 1 to 10 C atoms, aryl and heteroaryl, wherein m>0 to at most 5−n, and wherein the metal M is a main group metal of groups 13 to 15 of the periodic table of elements.