Efficient organic emitters in the deep-red region are rare due to the "energy gap law". Herein, multiple boron (B)- and nitrogen (N)-atoms embedded polycyclic heteroaromatics featuring hybridized π-bonding/ non-bonding molecular orbitals are constructed, providing a way to overcome the above luminescent boundary. The introduction of B-phenyl-B and N-phenyl-N structures enhances the electronic coupling of those para-positioned atoms, forming restricted π-bonds on the phenyl-core for delocalized excited states and thus a narrow energy gap. The mutually ortho-positioned B- and N-atoms also induce a multi-resonance effect on the peripheral skeleton for the non-bonding orbitals, creating shallow potential energy surfaces to eliminate the high-frequency vibrational quenching. The corresponding deep-red emitters with peaks at 662 and 692 nm exhibit narrow full-width at half-maximums of 38 nm, high radiative decay rates of ca. 108  s-1 , ≈100 % photo-luminescence quantum yields and record-high maximum external quantum efficiencies of ca. 28 % in a normal planar organic light-emitting diode structure, simultaneously.

Multi-Resonance Deep-Red Emitters with Shallow Potential-Energy Surfaces to Surpass Energy-Gap Law**

Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) have progressed steadily through three stages of photoactive materials development: (i) use of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and fullerene-based acceptors (FAs) for optimizing bulk heterojunctions; (ii) development of new donors to better match with FAs; (iii) development of non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs). The development and application of NFAs with an A-D-A configuration (where A = acceptor and D = donor) has enabled devices to have efficient charge generation and small energy losses (Eloss < 0.6 eV), resulting in substantially higher power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) than FA-based devices. The discovery of Y6-type acceptors (Y6 = 2,2'-((2Z,2'Z)-((12,13-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,9-diundecyl-12,13-dihydro-[1,2,5]-thiadiazolo[3,4-e]-thieno[2″,3″:4',5']thieno-[2',3':4,5]pyrrolo-[3,2-g]thieno-[2',3':4,5]thieno-[3,2-b]indole-2,10-diyl)bis(methanylylidene))bis(5,6-difluoro-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-indene-2,1-diylidene))dimalononitrile) with an A-DA' D-A configuration has further propelled the PCEs to go beyond 15% due to smaller Eloss values (∼0.5 eV) and higher external quantum efficiencies. Subsequently, the PCEs of Y6-series single-junction devices have increased to >19% and may soon approach 20%. This review provides an update of recent progress of OPV in the following aspects: developments of novel NFAs and donors, understanding of the structure-property relationships and underlying mechanisms of state-of-the-art OPVs, and tasks underpinning the commercialization of OPVs, such as device stability, module development, potential applications, and high-throughput manufacturing. Finally, an outlook and prospects section summarizes the remaining challenges for the further development of OPV technology.

Renewed Prospects for Organic Photovoltaics.

Near-infrared light-emitting diodes based on solution-processed semiconductors, such as organics, halide perovskites and colloidal quantum dots, have emerged as a viable technological platform for biomedical applications, night vision, surveillance and optical communications. The recently gained increased understanding of the relationship between materials structure and photophysical properties has enabled the design of efficient emitters leading to devices with external quantum efficiencies exceeding 20%. Despite considerable strides made, challenges remain in achieving high radiance, reducing efficiency roll-off and extending operating lifetime. This Review summarizes recent advances on emissive materials synthetic methods and device key attributes that collectively contribute to improved performance of the fabricated light-emitting devices. A summary of recent advances in the near-infrared light-emitting diodes that are fabricated by solution-processed means, with coverage of devices based on organic semiconductors, halide perovskites and colloidal quantum dots.

Advances in solution-processed near-infrared light-emitting diodes

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/admt.202000857

Low Band Gap Conjugated Semiconducting Polymers

Abstract The growing demand for spectroscopy applications in the areas of agriculture, retail and healthcare has led to extensive research on infrared light sources. The ability of phosphors to absorb blue light from commercial LED and convert the excitation energy into long-wavelength infrared luminescence is crucial for the design of cost-effective and high-performance phosphor-converted infrared LEDs. However, the lack of ideal blue-pumped short-wave infrared (SWIR) phosphors with an emission peak longer than 900 nm greatly limits the development of SWIR LEDs using light converter technology. Here we have developed a series of SWIR-emitting materials with high luminescence efficiency and excellent thermal stability by co-doping Cr 3+ -Yb 3+ ion pairs into Lu 0.2 Sc 0.8 BO 3 host materials. Benefitting from strong light absorption of Cr 3+ in the blue waveband and very efficient Cr 3+ →Yb 3+ energy transfer, the as-synthesized Lu 0.2 Sc 0.8 BO 3 :Cr 3+ ,Yb 3+ phosphor emits intense SWIR light in the 900–1200 nm from Yb 3+ under excitation with blue light at ~460 nm. The optimized phosphor presents an internal quantum yield of 73.6% and the SWIR luminescence intensity at 100 °C can still keep 88.4% of the starting value at 25 °C. SWIR LED prototype device based on Lu 0.2 Sc 0.8 BO 3 :Cr 3+ ,Yb 3+ phosphor exhibits exceptional luminescence performance, delivering SWIR radiant power of 18.4 mW with 9.3% of blue-to-SWIR power conversion efficiency and 5.0% of electricity-to-SWIR light energy conversion efficiency at 120 mA driving current. Moreover, under the illumination of high-power SWIR LED, covert information identification and night vision lighting have been realized, demonstrating a very bright prospect for practical applications. 

/pdf/blue-led-pumped-intense-short-wave-infrared-luminescence-2cpa8v3n.pdf

Blue LED-pumped intense short-wave infrared luminescence based on Cr3+-Yb3+-co-doped phosphors

The development of high-performance near-infrared organic light-emitting diodes is hindered by strong non-radiative processes as governed by the energy gap law Here, we show that exciton delocalization, which serves to decouple the exciton band from highly vibrational ladders in the S0 ground state, can bring substantial enhancements in the photoluminescence quantum yield of emitters, bypassing the energy gap law Experimental proof is provided by the design and synthesis of a series of new Pt(ii) complexes with a delocalization length of 5–9 molecules that emit at 866–960 nm with a photoluminescence quantum yield of 5–12% in solid films The corresponding near-infrared organic light-emitting diodes emit light with a 930 nm peak wavelength and a high external quantum efficiency up to 214% and a radiance of 416 W sr−1 m−2 Both theoretical and experimental results confirm the exciton–vibration decoupling strategy, which should be broadly applicable to other well-aligned molecular solids Pt(ii) complexes allow the fabrication of efficient near-infrared organic light-emitting diodes that operate beyond the 900 nm region

Overcoming the energy gap law in near-infrared OLEDs by exciton–vibration decoupling

/pdf/modulation-of-solid-state-aggregation-of-square-planar-pt-ii-perd8ulblx.pdf

Wei-Hsiang Chan

Papers

Overcoming the energy gap law in near-infrared OLEDs by exciton–vibration decoupling

Modulation of Solid‐State Aggregation of Square‐Planar Pt(II) Based Emitters: Enabling Highly Efficient Deep‐Red/Near Infrared Electroluminescence

Highly Efficient Near-Infrared Electroluminescence up to 800 nm Using Platinum(II) Phosphors