Enhancement of the efficiency and the color stabilization of organic light-emitting devices fabricated utilizing stepwise doped hole transport layers

The electrical and the optical properties of organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) consisting of aluminum (Al)/lithium quinolate/tris (8-hydroxyquimoline) Al/5,6,11,12-tetraphenylnaphthacene (rubrene)-doped N,N′-bis-(1-naphthyl)-N,N′-diphenyl-1,1-biphenyl-4,4′-diamine (NPB)/indium-tin-oxide/glass structures fabricated with uniformly doped and stepwise-doped hole transport layers (HTLs) were investigated. The turn-on voltage of the OLEDs fabricated utilizing a stepwise-doped HTL was smaller than that of the OLEDs fabricated with a uniformly doped HTL, and the corresponding luminance at the same voltage was higher. The Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates of the OLEDs fabricated utilizing a stepwise-doped HTL became stabilized, and the CIE chromaticity coordinates of the OLEDs at 12 V was (0.43, 0.53), indicative of a yellow emission corresponding to the rubrene layer. The luminescence mechanisms of the OLEDs fabricated utilizing a stepwise-doped HTL are described on the basis of the experimental results.