Wen-g Chen

Room-temperature single nanoribbon lasers

Using a single nano-object measurement methodology that enables the correlation between size/morphology/structure and photoluminescence (PL) characteristics, we show that nanoribbons are an excellent model system to study single nano-objects. In particular, we measure the PL characteristics of optically pumped individual single-crystal zinc–sulfide nanoribbons. Small collection angle measurements show that nanoribbons form excellent optical cavities and gain medium with high (full width at half maximum<0.1 nm) lasing modes free of PL background even for a low pumping power density of 9 kW/cm2. Large collection angles add a broad PL component and obscure the correct high-quality lasing of the nanowires/nanoribbons.

Blue-emitting organic electrofluorescence materials: progress and prospective

The intense interest in organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) originates from their attractive prospects as the next generation display and lighting technologies. The development of blue emitters is of great significance in OLED applications as full-color displays and energy-saving lightings. The electrofluorescence using triplet energy for radiation has recently become a spotlight in the area of organic electronics. Various triplet-to-singlet conversion mechanisms have been established, including triplet–triplet annihilation (TTA), thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and “hot exciton” model with hybridized local and charge-transfer (HLCT) excited state, and they are expected to shed light on the development on blue OLEDs. This study revolves around the recent progress in blue electrofluorescence materials utilizing triplet excitons for radiation. Owing to the page limitation, special focus is placed on small molecule-based purely organic fluorophores with breakthrough device performances. We begin with the general information of blue-emitting organic electrofluorescence devices, and then give an overview of blue fluorescence OLEDs based on different electroluminescence mechanisms, which is followed by individual molecular design strategies towards high efficiency.

A meta-molecular tailoring strategy towards an efficient violet-blue organic electroluminescent material

In this paper, an efficient violet-blue emitter 4,4′′-bis(1-(4-(tert-butyl)phenyl)-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazol-2-yl)-1,1′:3′,1′′-terphenyl (m-BBTPI) was designed and synthesized by linking two phenanthroimidazole units via the meta position of a freely rotatable phenyl bridge. The present design provides a suitable level of conjugation between the two phenanthroimidazole units such that fluorescence is strengthened over the single unit while a violet-blue emission can be maintained by limiting the amount of redshift. The new emitter m-BBTPI is also found to have good thermal stability, strong violet-blue emission and bipolar charge transporting properties. An electroluminescent device using m-BBTPI as a non-doped emission layer shows a low turn-on voltage (3.2 V), good colour purity (0.16, 0.06) as well as high current and power efficiencies (1.99 cd A−1, 1.81 lm W−1). These performance parameters are comparable to the state-of-the-art non-doped violet-blue OLEDs.

Self-Assembly of Electron Donor–Acceptor-Based Carbazole Derivatives: Novel Fluorescent Organic Nanoprobes for Both One- and Two-Photon Cellular Imaging

In this study, we report fluorescent organic nanoprobes with intense blue, green, and orange-red emissions prepared by self-assembling three carbazole derivatives into nanorods/nanoparticles. The three compounds consist of two or four electron-donating carbazole groups linked to a central dicyanobenzene electron acceptor. Steric hindrance from the carbazole groups leads to noncoplanar 3D molecular structures favorable to fluorescence in the solid state, while the donor-acceptor structures endow the molecules with good two-photon excited emission properties. The fluorescent organic nanoprobes exhibit good water dispersibility, low cytotoxicity, superior resistance against photodegradation and photobleaching. Both one- and two-photon fluorescent imaging were shown in the A549 cell line. Two-photon fluorescence imaging with the fluorescent probes was demonstrated to be more effective in visualizing and distinguishing cellular details compared to conventional one-photon fluorescence imaging.

A pyridine based meta-linking deep-blue emitter with high conjugation extent and electroluminescence efficiencies

We designed and synthesized a bipolar deep-blue emitter 2,6-bis(4-(1-(4-(tert-butyl)phenyl)-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazol-2-yl)phenyl)pyridine (26BTPIPy) based on a meta-linking D–π–A–π–D structure. Compared to its para-linking analogue (25BTPIPy), the meta-linking in 26BTPIPy effectively shortens molecular conjugated length and restricts intramolecular charge transfer. Interestingly, unlike most other meta-linking emitters, a high fluorescence yield can be maintained in 26BTPIPy. This may be attributed to a relatively planar structure at the benzene–pyridine–benzene joint in 26BTPIPy leading to considerable overlapping of its frontier molecular orbitals. These suitable combinations of properties endow 26BTPIPy with efficient deep-blue emission and good bipolar carrier transporting characteristics. An organic light-emitting device using 26BTPIPy as an emitter shows a low turn-on voltage (2.8 V), deep-blue emission with a color index of (0.15, 0.09) and high current and external quantum efficiencies (4.16 cd A−1 and 5.15%). Besides, a bilayer device using 26BTPIPy as both an emitting and electron-transporting material also gives high performance with a current efficiency of 4.22 cd A−1 and a color purity of (0.15, 0.11).

Aromatically C6- and C9-Substituted Phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole Blue Fluorophores: Structure–Property Relationship and Electroluminescent Application

In this study, a series of aromatically substituted phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole (PI) fluorophores at C6 and C9 (no. 6 and 9 carbon atoms) have been synthesized and systematically characterized by theoretical, thermal, photophysical, electrochemical, and electroluminescent (EL) studies. C6 and C9 modifications have positive influences on the thermal properties of the new materials. Theoretical calculations suggest that the C6 and the C9 positions of PI are electronically different. Theoretical and experimental evidences of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) between two identical moieties attaching to the C6 and the C9 positions are observed. Photophysical properties of the fluorophores are greatly influenced by size and conjugation extent of the substituents as well as linking steric hindrance. It is found that the C6 and C9 positions afford moderate conjugated extension compared to the C2 modification. Moreover, ICT characteristics of the new fluorophores increase as the size of the substituted aromatic group, and are partially influenced by steric hindrance, with the anthracene and the pyrene derivatives having the strongest ICT excited properties. EL performances of the fluorophores were evaluated as host emitters or dopants in organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs). Most of the devices showed significantly improved efficiencies compared to the OLED using the nonmodified emitter. Among all the devices, a 5 wt % TPI-Py doped device exhibited excellent performances with an external quantum efficiency >5% at 1000 cd/m2 and a deep-blue color index of (0.155, 0.065), which are comparable to the most advanced deep-blue devices. Our study can give useful information for designing C6/C9-modificated PI fluorophores and provide an efficient approach for constructing high-performance deep-blue OLEDs.

Organic nanostructures of thermally activated delayed fluorescent emitters with enhanced intersystem crossing as novel metal-free photosensitizers

We applied organic nanostructures based on thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) emitters for singlet oxygen generation. Due to the extremely small energy gaps between the excited singlet states (S1) and triplet states (T1) of these heavy-metal-free organic nanostructures, intersystem conversion between S1 and T1 can occur easily. This strategy also works well for exciplex-type TADF emitters prepared by mixing suitable donors and acceptors which have no TADF characteristics themselves.

Acene-based organic semiconductors for organic light-emitting diodes and perovskite solar cells

In this work, three novel acene-based organic semiconductors, including 2,7-bis(trimethylstannyl)naphtho[2,1-b:6,5-b′]dithiophene (TPA-NADT-TPA), 4,4′-(anthracene-2,6-diyl)bis(N,N-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)aniline) (TPA-ANR-TPA) and N2,N2,N6,N6-tetrakis(4-methoxyphenyl)anthracene-2,6-diamine (DPA-ANR-DPA), are designed and synthesized for use in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In OLEDs, devices based on TPA-NADT-TPA, TPA-ANR-TPA and DPA-ANR-DPA showed pure blue, blue green, and green emission, respectively. Also, the maximum brightness of the devices with a turn-on voltage of 3.8 V reached 8682 cd m−2 for TPA-NADT-TPA, 11 180 cd m−2 for TPA-ANR-TPA, and 18 600 cd m−2 for DPA-ANR-DPA. These new materials are also employed as hole transporting materials (HTMs) in inverted PSCs, where they were used without additives. The inverted devices based on these HTMs achieved an overall efficiency of 10.27% for TPA-NADT-TPA, 7.54% for TPA-ANR-TPA, and 6.05% for DPA-ANR-DPA under identical conditions (AM 1.5G and 100 mW cm−2). While the PSCs with TPA-NADT-TPA as the HTM achieved the highest efficiency, the DPA-ANR-DPA-based OLED devices showed the brightest emission and efficiency. Based on the obtained promising performance, it is clear that this molecular design presents a new research strategy to develop materials that can be used in multiple types of devices.