Organic Light Emitting Device Hole Transport Layer Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Organic light emitting devices experience a decrease in emission intensity over time due to material degradation when driven continuously, particularly due to the oxidation of organic compounds in the hole transport layer, leading to a radical cation state that affects durability.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a hole transport layer with multiple organic compounds, where one compound with the smallest ionization potential has a concentration of 5% to 30% by weight and lacks an absorption spectrum peak in the blue color wavelength region in its radical cation state, preventing unnecessary hole accumulation and structural changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a hole transport layer is formed with organic compounds that have good hole transport performance, then the device can maintain high emission intensity, but the organic compounds undergo oxidation and enter a radical cation state causing material degradation and emission intensity decrease over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemission intensityVSAvoiddurability during continuous driving
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a specific organic compound (Compound A) as an intermediary substance in the hole transport layer. This compound acts as a mediator that accepts holes from the anode and transports them to the emission layer, preventing direct oxidation of the blue light emitting material. Compound A has been specifically selected to exhibit high hole mobility while maintaining stability in the radical cation state, thus protecting the emission layer from degradation and maintaining emission intensity over time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the concentration of Compound A in the hole transport layer to a specific range (5-30 wt%) to achieve the best balance between hole transport performance and durability. By controlling this parameter, the device maintains high emission intensity while significantly improving resistance to material degradation during continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If the hole transport layer contains organic compounds with high hole mobility, then the device operates at low voltage with high efficiency, but the organic compounds are more prone to oxidation and structural changes under continuous current conduction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperating efficiency at low voltageVSAvoidstructural stability of organic compounds
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs Compound A as a sacrificial hole transport material that is intentionally designed to be stable in the radical cation state. This compound serves as a consumable component that handles the oxidative stress of continuous operation, protecting the more valuable blue light emitting materials from degradation. The compound is selected specifically for its ability to withstand repeated oxidation-reduction cycles without significant structural changes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Ease of manufacture

If a single organic compound is used in the hole transport layer, then the device structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the durability and resistance to material degradation are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of device structureVSAvoiddurability during continuous driving
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite hole transport layer by combining Compound A with other organic compounds that have complementary properties. This composite structure leverages the high hole mobility of Compound A while incorporating materials that provide enhanced stability and resistance to oxidation. The synergistic combination of multiple compounds achieves both good manufacturing characteristics and improved durability during continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 configuration enhances the durability of the organic light emitting device during continuous operation by minimizing the formation of radical cations and maintaining emission intensity, as demonstrated by the half-life of initial luminance in various examples.

Implementation Method 1

an organic compound contained in a hole transport layer is involved in the decrease with time in emission intensity of the organic light emitting device as one cause. The hole transport layer is supplied with holes that are charge carriers from an anode. Therefore, the prevention of the structural change in the organic compound contained in the hole transport layer is important from the viewpoint of alleviating the decrease with time in characteristics such as emission intensity of the organic light emitting device during continuous driving.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Implementation Method 2

the absorption spectrum in a radical cation state of said material does not have an absorption peak in an emission wavelength region of the light emitting material.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption spectrum: Absorption Spectroscopy

Data Source

PatentEP2513996B1Organic light emitting device
Publication Date: 2019.05.29 CANON KK
  • EP2513996B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2513996B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2513996B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Provided is an organic light emitting device with enhanced durability during continuous driving. The organic light emitting device includes: an anode, a cathode, and an organic compound layer being placed between the anode and the cathode and including at least a hole transport layer and an emission layer, in which: the emission layer contains a blue light emitting material; the hole transport layer contains a plurality of kinds of organic compounds; and an organic compound having the smallest ionization potential among the organic compounds includes a compound having no absorption spectrum peak in a blue color wavelength region in a radical cation state.