Highly efficient near-infrared thermally activated delayed fluorescence organic light-emitting diodes with emission beyond 800 nm

Near-infrared (NIR) emitters are employed in a wide range of applications such as bio-sensors, optical communication devices, and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The development of NIR thermally activated delayed-fluorescence (TADF) materials lags significantly behind that of platinum complexes and quantum dots. To achieve cost reduction and environmental sustainability, TADF OLEDs have attracted extensive attention in both the academic community and industry in recent years. Herein, a conjugated planar acceptor was applied in a TADF emitter (TCN-TPA) to enhance the intermolecular through-space electronic coupling and redshift the emission spectra at high doping levels. In addition, multiple sub-acceptor units were integrated into a rigid acceptor to narrow the band gap. Importantly, the overall robust configuration of the TCN-TPA molecule led to high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY). Consequently, TCN-TPA demonstrated a record-high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 2.4% at 802 nm and 1.1% at 841 nm among TADF OLEDs in this spectral range.

Automated summary

In this study, a novel near-infrared thermally activated delayed-fluorescence (TADF) device was developed using TCN-TPA as the emitting layer material. The emission performance was optimized by modifying the molecular structure, and the emission spectra were redshifted at high doping levels. The device demonstrated a high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 2.4% at 802 nm and 1.1% at 841 nm, which are record-high values among TADF OLEDs in this spectral range.