Pure red electroluminescence from novel heteroleptic cyclometalated platinum(II) emitters embedded in polyvinylcarbazole

We fabricated molecularly doped, polymer-based light-emitting diodes possessing a single emitting layer containing a hole-transporting host polymer poly(N-vinylcarbazole) and an electron-transporting auxiliary, 2-(4-biphenylyl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole, doped with novel phosphorescent cyclometalated Pt(II) complexes bearing arylpyridine and 1,3-diketone ligands. These novel cyclometalated Pt(II) complexes emit pure red color both in steady-state emissions (poly(methyl methacrylate) films)) and electrophosphorescence. They exhibited pure red emissions with the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage coordinates (X = ∼0.67, Y = ∼0.33), which is almost identical to the coordinates of standard red (0.66, 0.34) demanded by the National Television System Committee. The color coordinates remained unchanged over a range of operating voltages, even at luminances greater than 1 × 104 cd/m2. The maximum external quantum efficiency of these devices exceeded 3.6% and the maximum brightness was greater than 1 × 104 cd/m2.