Hole injection control of electron blocking layer for broad recombination zone and low-efficiency roll-off in phosphorescent organic light emitting device

Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) require several organic layers, including carrier injection layers, charge transport layers, and light-emitting layers (EML). Recently, many panel companies have been using layers with a dual function of charge transport and blocking to simplify the layer structure. At the same time, efficient charge injection into the EML is required to improve the device characteristics. In particular, the hole injection properties are important in devices using phosphorescent emitters because it is a major factor in forming the broad recombination zone. This study reports the factors influencing the device performances using three OLEDs with different electron-blocking layers (EBL). By adjusting the EBL’s energy levels, it is possible to form a broad recombination zone and reduce hole accumulation and polaron-induced stress at the interface. In addition, the wide dispersion of exciton formation reduces the overcrowding of exciton which induces exciton quenching and relieves an efficiency roll-off at high luminance. Consequently, the external quantum efficiency of N-([1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)-N-(9,9-dimethyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)-11,11-dimethyl-11H-benzo[b]fluoren-3-amine with a relatively deep HOMO level is increased by more than 2% with a relaxed roll-off of 7% at 3000 cd/m² and a device lifetime is increased fivefold compared to those of N-([1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)-N-(9,9-dimethyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)-11,11-dimethyl-11H-benzo[b]fluoren-2-amine with a relatively shallow HOMO level.