Optimization of white organic light emitting diodes based on emitting layer charge carrier conduction properties

Abstract

We have fabricated white organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) with multi-emitting layer (EML) structures in which 4,4'-N,N'-dicarbazole-biphenyl (CBP) layers doped with the phosphorescent dopants fac-tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium (Ir(ppy)3) and bis(2-(2'-benzo[4,5-a]thienyl)pyridinato-N,C3')iridium(acetylacetonate) (btp2Ir(acac)) and the fluorescent dopant 4,4'-bis[2-{4-(N,N-diphenylamino) phenyl}vinyl]biphenyl (DPAVBi) were used as green (G), red (R) and blue (B) EMLs, respectively. A higher efficiency was expected with the R/G/B EML sequence from the hole transport layer interface than with the G/R/B sequence because of the differences in the charge carrier conduction properties of the EMLs doped with phosphorescent dopants and the luminance balance between the phosphorescent and fluorescent emissions. A high efficiency of 18.3 cd A−1 (an external quantum efficiency of 8.5%) at 100 cd m−2 and good colour stability were achieved with the R/G/B EML sequence as expected, with an additional non-doped CBP interlayer used between the G and B EMLs. In addition, the OLED with this sequence was found to have the longest lifetime of the white devices we tested.