Ultrafast Triplet-Singlet Exciton Interconversion in Narrowband Blue Organoboron Emitters Doped with Heavy Chalcogens

Narrowband emissive organoboron emitters featuring the multi-resonance (MR) effect have now become a critical material component for constructing high-performance organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with pure emission colors. These MR organoboron emitters are capable of exhibiting high-efficiency narrowband thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) by allowing triplet-to-singlet reverse intersystem crossing (RISC). However, RISC involving spin-flip exciton upconversion is generally the rate-limiting step in the overall TADF; hence, a deeper understanding and precise control of the RISC dynamics are ongoing crucial challenges. Here, we introduce the first MR organoboron emitter (CzBSe) doped with a selenium atom, demonstrating a record-high RISC rate exceeding 10(8) s(-1), which is even higher than its fluorescence radiation rate. Furthermore, the spin-flip upconversion process in CzBSe can be accelerated by factors of approximate to 20000 and approximate to 800, compared to those of its oxygen- and sulfur-doped homologs (CzBO and CzBS), respectively. Unlike CzBO and CzBS, the photophysical rate-limiting step in CzBSe is no longer RISC, but the fluorescence radiation process; this behavior is completely different from the conventional time-delaying TADF limited by the slow RISC. Benefitting from its ultrafast exciton spin conversion ability, OLEDs incorporating CzBSe achieved a maximum external electroluminescence quantum efficiency as high as 23.9 %, accompanied by MR-induced blue narrowband emission and significantly alleviated efficiency roll-off features.

Automated summary

Narrowband emissive organoboron emitters with multi-resonance effect are important for high-performance OLEDs. This study introduces the first MR organoboron emitter doped with a selenium atom, showing a record-high RISC rate and achieving high external electroluminescence quantum efficiency.