Bright, efficient, and stable pure-green hyperfluorescent organic light-emitting diodes by judicious molecular design

To fulfill ultra-high-definition display, efficient and bright green organic light-emitting diodes with Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage y-coordinate ≥ 0.7 are required. Although there are some preceding reports of highly efficient devices based on pure-green multi-resonance emitters, the efficiency rolloff and device stabilities for those pure-green devices are still unsatisfactory. Herein, we report the rational design of two pure-green multi-resonance emitters for achieving highly stable and efficient pure-green devices with CIEx,ys that are close to the NTSC and BT. 2020 standards. In this study, our thermally activated delayed fluorescence OLEDs based on two pure-green multi-resonance emitters result in CIEy up to 0.74. In hyperfluorescent device architecture, the CIExs further meet the x-coordinate requirements, i.e., NTSC (0.21) and BT. 2020 (0.17), while keeping their CIEys ~ 0.7. Most importantly, hyperfluorescent devices display the high maximum external quantum efficiencies of over 25% and maximum luminance of over 105 cd m-2 with suppressed rolloffs (external quantum efficiency of ~20% at 104 cd m-2) and long device stabilities with LT95s of ~ 600 h.

Highly efficient multi-resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence material toward a BT.2020 deep-blue emitter

An ultrapure deep-blue multi-resonance-induced thermally activated delayed fluorescence material (DOB2-DABNA-A) is designed and synthesized. Benefiting from a fully resonating extended helical π-conjugated system, this compound has a small ΔEST value of 3.6 meV and sufficient spin-orbit coupling to exhibit a high-rate constant for reverse intersystem crossing (kRISC = 1.1 × 106 s-1). Furthermore, an organic light-emitting diode employing DOB2-DABNA-A as an emitter is fabricated; it exhibits ultrapure deep-blue emission at 452 nm with a small full width at half maximum of 24 nm, corresponding to Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.145, 0.049). The high kRISC value reduces the efficiency roll-off, resulting in a high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 21.6% at 1000 cd m-2.

Organoboron-based multiple-resonance emitters: synthesis, structure-property correlations, and prospects

Boron-based multiple-resonance (MR) emitters exhibit the advantages of narrowband emission, high absolute photoluminescence quantum yield, thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF), and sufficient stability during the operation of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Thus, such MR emitters have been widely applied as blue emitters in triplet-triplet-annihilation-driven fluorescent devices used in smartphones and televisions. Moreover, they hold great promise as TADF or terminal emitters in TADF-assisted fluorescence or phosphor-sensitised fluorescent OLEDs. Herein we comprehensively review organoboron-based MR emitters based on their synthetic strategies, clarify structure-photophysical property correlations, and provide design guidelines and future development prospects.

A Rigid Multiple Resonance Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Core Toward Stable Electroluminescence and Lasing

The investigation of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic laser devices with thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) molecules is emerging due to the potential of harnessing triplets. In this work, a boron/nitrogen multiple-resonance TADF polycyclic framework fusing carbazole units (CzBNPh) was proposed. CzBNPh exhibited a narrowband emission (<30 nm), a unity photoluminescence quantum yield, and a fast radiative rate. Consequently, CzBNPh demonstrated a low distributed feedback (DFB) lasing threshold of 0.68 μJ cm-2 . Furthermore, the stimulated emission zone of CzBNPh was effectively separated from its singlet and triplet absorption, thereby minimizing the singlet-triplet annihilation under long-pulsed excitation ranging from 20 μs to 2.5 ms. Significantly, the enhanced rigid molecular conformation, thermal stability, and photo-stability resulted in improved lasing and electroluminescence stability compared to that of 5,9-diphenyl-5,9-diaza-13b-boranaphtho[3,2,1-de]anthracene (DABNA)-core. These findings indicate the potential of CzBN-core as a promising framework for achieving long-pulsed wave and electrically-pumped lasing in the future.

One-Shot Construction of BN-Embedded Heptadecacene Framework Exhibiting Ultra-narrowband Green Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence

BN-embedded nonacene, tridecacene, and heptadecacene frameworks were constructed using one-shot quadruple, sextuple, and octuple borylation reactions, respectively. The key to success is the judicious choice of borylating reagents and long-chain alkyl-substituted carbazolyl groups as boron-trapping groups, which suppressed the decrease in HOMO energy and insolubilization associated with borylation. Based on the product yields, each electrophilic C-H borylation proceeded in >99% yield, which is the best efficiency reported so far for C-H borylation reactions. Owing to the multiple resonance effects of boron and nitrogen, the prepared acenes exhibited ultra-narrowband green thermally activated delayed fluorescence with full-width at half-maximum of 12-16 nm; moreover, their k_RISC values were in the order of 10⁵ s^-1. We fabricated an organic light-emitting diode by employing the nonacene as an emitter, which exhibited high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 28.7%. The device also showed a minimum efficiency roll-off with an EQE of 25.8% at 1000 cd m^-2.

Spiroborate-Based Host Materials with High Triplet Energies and Ambipolar Charge-Transport Properties

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) receive considerable attention because of their commercial use in flat panel displays. Herein, highly efficient spiroborate-based host materials are reported for use in blue OLEDs. Our designed spiroborates (SBOX) were simple to synthesize and exhibited high triplet excitation energies, narrow S-T gaps, and balanced charge carrier mobilities. A blue OLED containing one of the designed spiroborates, SBON, as a host exhibited a high external quantum efficiency (27.6 %) and low turn-on voltage (3.7 V) compared to those observed using 3,3'-di(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-1,1'-biphenyl (17.6 % and 4.5 V, respectively), indicating their potential as host materials in OLEDs.

Unlocking the Full Potential of Electron-Acceptor Molecules for Efficient and Stable Hole Injection

Understanding the hole-injection mechanism and improving the hole-injection property are of pivotal importance in the future development of organic optoelectronic devices. Electron-acceptor molecules with high electron affinity (EA) are widely used in electronic applications, such as hole injection and p-doping. Although p-doping has generally been studied in terms of matching the ionization energy (IE) of organic semiconductors with the EA of acceptor molecules, little is known about the effect of the EA of acceptor molecules on the hole-injection property. In this work, the hole-injection mechanism in devices is completely clarified, and a strategy to optimize the hole-injection property of the acceptor molecule is developed. Efficient and stable hole injection is found to be possible even into materials with IEs as high as 5.8 eV by controlling the charged state of an acceptor molecule with an EA of about 5.0 eV. This excellent hole-injection property enables direct hole injection into an emitting layer, realizing a pure blue organic light-emitting diode with an extraordinarily low turn-on voltage of 2.67 V, a power efficiency of 29 lm W^-1 , an external quantum efficiency of 28% and a Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage y coordinate of less than 0.10.

Sequential Multiple Borylation Toward an Ultrapure Green Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Material

Multiple-resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) emitters have emerged as an important component of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) because of their narrowband emission and high exciton utilization efficiency. However, the chemical space of MR-TADF emitters remains mostly unexplored because of the lack of suitable synthetic protocols. Herein, we demonstrate a sequential multiple borylation reaction that provides new synthetically accessible chemical space. ω-DABNA, the proof-of-concept material, exhibited narrowband green TADF with a full width at half-maximum of 22 nm and a small singlet-triplet energy gap of 13 meV. The OLED employing it as an emitter exhibited electroluminescence at 512 nm, with Commission International de l'Éclairage coordinates of (0.13, 0.73) and a high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 31.1%. Moreover, the device showed minimum efficiency roll-off, with an EQE of 29.4% at 1000 cd m^-2.

Synthesis and Late-Stage Diversification of BN-Embedded Dibenzocorannulenes as Efficient Fluorescence Organic Light-Emitting Diode Emitters

We report the synthesis and late-stage diversification of a new class of hetero-buckybowl, BN-embedded dibenzocorannulenes (B₂ N₂ -DBCs). The synthesis is achieved via one-shot halogenative borylation, comprising the nitrogen-directed haloboration of alkyne and an intramolecular bora-Friedel-Crafts reaction, which provides BN-embedded dibenzocorannulene possessing two bromo substituents (B₂ N₂ -DBC-Br). B₂ N₂ -DBC-Br undergoes diversification via coupling reactions to provide a variety of arylated derivatives (B₂ N₂ -DBC-R), exhibiting strong blue fluorescence. An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) employing one of the derivatives as an emitter exhibited a high external quantum efficiency of 6.6 % and long operational lifetime of 907 h at an initial luminance of 1000 cd m^-2 , indicating the significant potential for the development of efficient and stable hetero-buckybowl-based OLED materials.

Ultra-Narrowband Blue Multi-Resonance Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Materials

Ultra-narrowband blue multi-resonance-induced thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) materials (V-DABNA and V-DABNA-F), consisting of three DABNA subunits possessing phenyl or 2,6-difluorophenyl substituents on the peripheral nitrogen atoms are synthesized by one-shot triple borylation. Benefiting from the inductive effect of fluorine atoms, the emission maximum of V-DABNA-F (464 nm) is blueshifted from that of the parent V-DABNA (481 nm), while maintaining a small full width at half maximum (FWHM, 16 nm) and a high rate constant for reverse intersystem crossing (6.5 × 105 s-1 ). The organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) using V-DABNA and V-DABNA-F as emitters are fabricated by vapor deposition and exhibit blue emission at 483 and 468 nm with small FWHMs of 17 and 15 nm, corresponding to Commission Internationale d'Éclairage coordinates of (0.09, 0.27) and (0.12, 0.10), respectively. Both devices achieve high external quantum efficiencies of 26.2% and 26.6% at the maximum with minimum efficiency roll-offs of 0.9% and 3.2%, respectively, even at 1000 cd m-2 , which are record-setting values for blue MR-TADF OLEDs.

Development of Pure Green Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Material by Cyano Substitution

Multiple resonance (MR)-effect-induced thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials have garnered significant attention because they can achieve both high color purity and high external quantum efficiency (EQE). However, the reported green-emitting MR-TADF materials exhibit broader emission compared to those of blue-emitting ones and suffer from severe efficiency roll-off due to insufficient rate constants of reverse intersystem crossing process (k_RISC ). Herein, a pure green MR-TADF material (ν-DABNA-CN-Me) with high k_RISC of 10⁵ s^-1 is reported. The key to success is introduction of cyano groups into a blue-emitting MR-TADF material (ν-DABNA), which causes remarkable bathochromic shift without a loss of color purity. The organic light-emitting diode employing it as an emitter exhibits green emission at 504 nm with a small full-width at half-maximum of 23 nm, corresponding to Commission Internationale d'Éclairage coordinates of (0.13, 0.65). The device achieves a high maximum EQE of 31.9% and successfully suppresses the efficiency roll-off at a high luminance.

One-Shot Synthesis of Expanded Heterohelicene Exhibiting Narrowband Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence

An expanded heterohelicene consisting of three BN₂-embedded [4]helicene subunits (V-DABNA-Mes) has been synthesized by one-shot triple borylation. The key to success is the excessive use of boron tribromide in an autoclave. Based on the multiple resonance effect of three boron and six nitrogen atoms, V-DABNA-Mes exhibited a narrowband sky-blue thermally activated delayed fluorescence with a full width at half-maximum of 16 nm. The resonating π-extension minimized the singlet-triplet energy gap and enabled rapid reverse intersystem crossing with a rate constant of 4.4 × 10⁵ s^-1. The solution-processed organic light-emitting diode device, employed as an emitter, exhibited a narrowband emission at 480 nm with a high external quantum efficiency of 22.9%.

Hypsochromic Shift of Multiple-Resonance-Induced Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence by Oxygen Atom Incorporation

Herein, we reported an ultrapure blue multiple-resonance-induced thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) material (ν-DABNA-O-Me) with a high photoluminescence quantum yield and a large rate constant for reverse intersystem crossing. Because of restricted π-conjugation of the HOMO rather than the LUMO induced by oxygen atom incorporation, ν-DABNA-O-Me shows a hypsochromic shift compared to the parent MR-TADF material (ν-DABNA). An organic light-emitting diode based on this material exhibits an emission at 465 nm, with a small full-width at half-maximum of 23 nm and Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage coordinates of (0.13, 0.10), and a high maximum external quantum efficiency of 29.5 %. Moreover, ν-DABNA-O-Me facilitates a drastically improved efficiency roll-off and a device lifetime compared to ν-DABNA, which demonstrates significant potential of the oxygen atom incorporation strategy.

Syntheses and Physical Properties of Cationic BN-Embedded Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Cationic BN-embedded polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (BN-PAH⁺ s) were synthesized from a nitrogen-containing macrocycle via pyridine-directed tandem C-H borylation. Incorporating BN into PAH⁺ resulted in a remarkable hypsochromic shift due to an increase in the LUMO energy and the symmetry changes of the HOMO and LUMO. Electrophilic substitution or anion exchange of BN-PAH⁺ possessing tetrabromoborate as a counter anion (BN⁺ [BBr₄ ^- ]) afforded air-stable BN-PAH/PAH⁺ s. Of these, BN⁺ [TfO^- ] allowed reversible two-electron reduction and the formation of two-dimensional brickwork-type π-electronic ion pair with 1,2,3,4,5-pentacyanocyclopentadienyl anion, demonstrating the potential application of BN-PAH⁺ as electronic materials.

Hot Vibrational States in a High-Performance Multiple Resonance Emitter and the Effect of Excimer Quenching on Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

The photophysics of multiple resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence molecule ν-DABNA is described. We show coupling of a 285 cm^-1 stretching/scissoring vibrational mode of peripheral phenyl rings to the S₁ state, which dictates the ultimate emission full-width at half maximum. However, a separate high amplitude mode, 945 cm^-1 of the N-biphenyl units, mediates the reverse intersystem crossing (rISC) mechanism. Concentration-dependent studies in solution and solid state reveal a second emission band that increases nonlinearly with concentration, independent of the environment assigned to excimer emission. Even at concentrations well below those used in devices, the excimer contribution affects performance. Using different solvents and solid hosts, rISC rates between 3-6 × 10⁵ s^-1 are calculated, which show negligible dependence on environmental polarity or host packing. At 20 K over the first 10 ns, we observe a broad Gaussian excimer emission band with energy on-set above the S₁ exciton band. An optical singlet-triplet gap (ΔE_ST) of 70 meV is measured, agreeing with previous thermal estimates; however, the triplet energy is also found to be temperature-dependent. A monotonic increase of the exciton emission band full-width at half maximum with temperature indicates the role of hot transitions in forming vibrational excited states at room temperature (RT), and combined with an observed temperature dependency of ΔE_ST, we deduce that the rISC mechanism is that of thermally activated reverse internal conversion of T₁ to T_N (n ≥ 2) followed by rapid rISC of T_N to S₁. Organic light-emitting diodes with ν-DABNA as a hyperfluorescent emitter (0.5 wt % and 1 wt %) exhibit an increase of maximum external quantum efficiency, reaching 27.5% for the lower ν-DABNA concentration. On the contrary, a Förster radius analysis indicated that the energy transfer ratio is smaller because of higher donor-acceptor separation (>2.4 nm) with weak sensitizer emission observed in the electroluminescence. This indicates excimer quenching in 1 wt % devices.

Solution-Processable Pure Green Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitter Based on the Multiple Resonance Effect

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials based on the multiple resonance (MR) effect are applied in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), combining high color purity and efficiency. However, they are not fabricated via solution-processing, which is an economical approach toward the mass production of OLED displays. Here, a solution-processable MR-TADF material (OAB-ABP-1), with an extended π-skeleton and bulky substituents, is designed. OAB-ABP-1 is synthesized from commercially available starting materials via a four-step process involving one-shot double borylation. OAB-ABP-1 presents attractive photophysical properties, a narrow emission band, a high photoluminescence quantum yield, a small energy gap between S₁ and T₁ , and low activation energy for reverse intersystem crossing. These properties are attributed to the alternating localization of the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals induced by the boron, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms. Furthermore, to facilitate charge recombination, two novel semiconducting polymers with similar ionization potentials to that of OAB-ABP-1 are synthesized for use as interlayer and emissive layer materials. A solution-processed OLED device is fabricated using OAB-ABP-1 and the aforementioned polymers; it exhibits pure green electroluminescence with a small full-width at half-maximum and a high external quantum efficiency with minimum efficiency roll-off.

The Role of Reverse Intersystem Crossing Using a TADF-Type Acceptor Molecule on the Device Stability of Exciplex-Based Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

Exciplex system exhibiting thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) holds a considerable potential to improve organic light-emitting diode (OLED) performances. However, the operational lifetime of current exciplex-based devices, unfortunately, falls far behind the requirement for commercialization. Herein, rationally choosing a TADF-type electron acceptor molecule is reported as a new strategy to enhance OLEDs' operating lifetime. A comprehensive study of the exciplex system containing 9,9',9''-triphenyl-9H,9'H,9''H-3,3':6',3''-tercarbazole (Tris-PCz) and triazine (TRZ) derivatives clarifies the relationship between unwanted carrier recombination on acceptor molecules, TADF property of acceptors, and the device degradation event. By employing a proposed "exciton recycling" strategy, a threefold increased operational lifetime can be achieved while still maintaining high-performance OLED properties. In particular, a stable blue OLED that employs this strategy is successfully demonstrated. This research provides an important step for exciplex-based devices toward the significant improvement of operational stability.

π-Stacked Polymer Consisting of a Pseudo⁻meta⁻[2.2]Paracyclophane Skeleton

A novel π-stacked polymer based on a pseudo–meta–linked [2.2]paracyclophane moieties was synthesized by Sonogashira-Hagihara coupling. The UV-vis absorption spectra of the synthesized polymer and model compounds revealed an extension of the conjugation length owing to the through-space conjugation. The optical properties of the π-stacked dimer with the pseudo–meta–linked [2.2]paracyclophane unit were compared with those of the corresponding dimers with the pseudo–ortho– and pseudo–para–linked [2.2]paracyclophane units.

Multiple heteroatom substitution to graphene nanoribbon

Substituting heteroatoms into nanostructured graphene elements, such as graphene nanoribbons, offers the possibility for atomic engineering of electronic properties. To characterize these substitutions, functionalized atomic force microscopy (AFM)-a tool to directly resolve chemical structures-is one of the most promising tools, yet the chemical analysis of heteroatoms has been rarely performed. We synthesized multiple heteroatom-substituted graphene nanoribbons and showed that AFM can directly resolve elemental differences and can be correlated to the van der Waals radii, as well as the modulated local electron density caused by the substitution. This elemental-sensitive measurement takes an important step in the analysis of functionalized two-dimensional carbon materials.

Clinical and molecular epidemiological features of tuberculosis after the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami

OBJECTIVE

To investigate clinical characteristics and prognosis in tuberculosis (TB) patients and the transmission dynamics of TB after the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami.

METHOD

This was a retrospective observational cohort study. Data were analyzed among 93 pulmonary TB patients (tsunami-affected areas 25, non-tsunami areas 68) hospitalized during March 2011-March 2012 with 1-year follow-up since treatment commencement. Variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) typing was conducted for 38 TB strains (tsunami-affected areas 21, non-tsunami areas 17).

RESULTS

Patients from tsunami-affected areas were significantly more likely to be refugees (OR 12.8, 95%CI 2.45-67.20), receive oxygenation (OR 5.0, 95%CI 1.68-14.85), and have a unique VNTR (OR 4.6, 95%CI 1.14-18.41). Patients who died within 1 year were significantly more likely to be older (OR 9.8, 95%CI 1.85-180.26), partially dependent or dependent (OR 11.9, 95%CI 4.28-37.62), and to require oxygenation (OR 4.3, 95%CI 1.47-12.89), and had lower serum albumin levels (OR 11.1, 95%CI 2.97-72.32).

CONCLUSION

Risk factors for prognosis of TB after the earthquake were associated with advanced age, low serum albumin level, functional status at admission, and oxygen requirement. The VNTR results suggest that most of the cases with pulmonary TB experienced reactivation of latent tuberculous infection, likely due to the impact of the earthquake and tsunami.