[Effects of PBD on the electroluminescence (EL) of Tb complex doped PVK system]

Electroluminescent (EL) properties of the terbium complex [Tb(m-MBA)3 phen]2 x 2H2O doped PVK system were investigated. Two kinds of devices with the structures of ITO/PVK: Tb complex/PBD/LiF/Al and ITO/PVK: Tb complex: PBD/PBD/LiF/Al were fabricated. PBD emission appears in the EL spectra of ITO/PVK: Tb complex/PBD/LiF/Al in comparison with ITO/PVK: Tb complex: PBD/PBD/LiF/Al. The reason is that PBD acts as a hole blocking material in the emitting layer (PVK: Tb complex: PBD) and thus the combination of excitons mostly occur within this layer. The energy of terbium complex emission comes from two different ways, namely energy transfer and direct combination of carriers. By altering the doping weight ratio of PBD, a set of devices were fabricated with the configuration of ITO/PVK: Tb complex: PBD/PBD/LiF/Al. Both the efficiency and brightness of these devices decrease with the rising of the PBD doping weight ratios. The efficiency of the carriers trapping may decrease with the rising of PBD doping ratios, for PBD may block the hoping of hole or electron between the PVK chains, causing a decrease in the brightness and efficiency. The PBD doping ratios have little effect on the efficiency of Förester energy transfer based on our synthesis.