Synthesis of a neodymium-quinolate complex for near-infrared electroluminescence applications

A structurally pure, near-infrared emissive Nd-(5,7-dichloro-8-hydroxyquinoline)4 tetrakis complex has been synthesized. When incorporated as a dopant in the blue emissive, hole conducting polymer poly(N-vinylcarbazole), PVK, sensitized neodymium ion emission was observed following photo-excitation of the polymer host. OLED devices were fabricated by spin-casting layers of the doped polymer onto glass/indium tin oxide (ITO)/3,4-polyethylene-dioxythiophene-polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT) substrates. An external quantum efficiency of 1 × 10− 3% and a near-infrared irradiance of 2.0 nW/mm2 at 25 mA/mm2 and 20 V was achieved using glass/ITO/PEDOT/ PVK:Nd-(5,7-dichloro-8-hydroxyquinoline)4/Ca/Al devices.