Probing triplet-triplet annihilation zone and determining triplet exciton diffusion length by using delayed electroluminescence

The literature shows that triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) can provide a substantial contribution to the electroluminescence (EL) of fluorescent organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs). In this study, we utilized delayed EL measurements to probe the TTA emission zone of archetypical 8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum (Alq(3)) based OLEDs. The results demonstrate that the TTA emission zone of these devices is much larger than the prompt emission zone of singlet states that are formed in the electron-hole recombination. The larger TTA emission zone is attributed to the longer diffusion length of the Alq(3) triplet states (60 nm) than that of Alq(3) singlet states (20 nm). (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3410678]