OLED Triplet-Accepting Material Delayed Fluorescence

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Solution Overview

Problem

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) face efficiency issues due to high non-radiative decay of triplet excitons, leading to reduced device lifetime and quantum efficiency, as up to 75% of excitons undergo non-radiative decay instead of radiative emission.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a triplet-accepting material with a lower excited triplet state energy level than the light-emitting material to facilitate triplet-triplet annihilation, allowing for radiative decay and delayed fluorescence, thereby enhancing device efficiency and lifetime.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If triplet excitons are allowed to decay naturally in fluorescent OLEDs, then the device structure is simple, but quantum efficiency is limited to 25% due to non-radiative decay of triplet excitons

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice structureVSAvoidquantum efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a triplet-quenching material as an intermediary substance in the light-emitting layer. This material has a lower triplet energy level than the electroluminescent material, enabling it to accept triplet excitons through energy transfer and quench them non-radiatively, thereby protecting the electroluminescent material from triplet-triplet or triplet-singlet interactions that reduce device lifetime.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful effect of triplet excitons (which cause non-radiative decay and reduce device lifetime) into a beneficial effect by using the triplet-quenching material to selectively quench triplet excitons while preserving singlet excitons. This approach transforms the problematic triplet state into a protective mechanism that extends device lifetime without significantly compromising quantum efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Duration of action of stationary object

If triplet-quenching material is added to prevent triplet-triplet interactions, then device lifetime is extended, but energy is lost in non-light emitting pathways

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice lifetimeVSAvoidenergy loss in non-light emitting pathways
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The triplet-quenching material acts as a mediator that selectively interacts with triplet excitons through energy transfer. By having a lower triplet energy level than the electroluminescent material, it accepts triplet excitons and provides a safe decay pathway that prevents harmful triplet-triplet or triplet-singlet interactions, thereby extending device lifetime while minimizing energy loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Duration of action of stationary object

If perylene derivative is blended with light-emissive material to improve lifetime, then device lifetime increases, but emission spectrum undergoes significant red-shift

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice lifetimeVSAvoidemission spectrum
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by introducing a specifically designed triplet-quenching material with appropriate energy levels that selectively interacts with triplet excitons without significantly affecting the singlet exciton emission. This localized intervention at the triplet state level allows lifetime extension while preserving the original emission spectrum characteristics of the electroluminescent material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the energy level parameter of the triplet-quenching material to be lower than the electroluminescent material's triplet energy level. This parameter selection enables effective triplet quenching while minimizing impact on the emission spectrum, avoiding the significant red-shift observed with perylene derivatives.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The use of triplet-accepting materials in OLEDs increases the probability of triplet-triplet annihilation, leading to improved radiative decay pathways, extended device lifetime, and enhanced efficiency by converting non-radiative decays into delayed fluorescence.

Implementation Method 1

Incorporating a triplet-accepting material with a lower excited triplet state energy level than the light-emitting material to facilitate triplet-triplet annihilation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEnergy transfer:

Implementation Method 2

facilitate triplet-triplet annihilation, allowing for radiative decay and delayed fluorescence

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTriplet-triplet annihilation:

Implementation Method 3

allowing for radiative decay and delayed fluorescence, thereby enhancing device efficiency and lifetime

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDelayed fluorescence:

Data Source

PatentEP2586076B2Organic light-emitting device and method
Publication Date: 2019.10.23 SUMITOMO CHEM CO LTD
  • EP2586076B2 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2586076B2 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2586076B2 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Composition for use in an organic light-emitting device, the composition having a fluorescent light-emitting material and a triplet-accepting material subject to the following energetic scheme: 2 X T1A > S1A > S1E, or T1A + T1E > S1A > S1E in which: T1A represents a triplet excited state energy level of the triplet-accepting material; TIE represents a triplet excited state energy level of the light-emitting material; S1A represents a singlet excited state energy level of the triplet-accepting material; and S1E represents a singlet excited state energy level of the light-emitting material; and in which light emitted by the composition upon excitation includes delayed fluorescence.