18-Crown-6 Additive to Enhance Performance and Durability in Solution-Processed Halide Perovskite Electronics

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optoelectronics
• Chemistry

Background:

• Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) often utilize interlayers to enhance electroluminescence (EL) performance.
• The precise function of these interlayers and their impact on device operation remain unclear.
• Interlayers are known to suppress chemical reactions between metal oxide and perovskite layers, but can impede charge injection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the role of interlayers in PeLEDs.
• To develop a method for simultaneously achieving high EL performance and device stability without relying on traditional interlayers.
• To investigate the effectiveness of 18-crown-6-ether (18C6) as an alternative approach.

Main Methods:

• Investigated the function of interlayers in suppressing chemical reactions within PeLEDs.
• Proposed and tested a novel method employing 18-crown-6-ether (18C6) as an additive.
• Evaluated the impact of the 18C6 additive on charge injection, EL performance, and device stability.

Main Results:

• Confirmed that interlayers primarily function to suppress chemical reactions between metal oxide and perovskite layers.
• Demonstrated that 18C6 additive effectively suppresses these detrimental chemical reactions without hindering charge injection.
• Achieved an 82-fold increase in device lifetime and a low operating voltage (3.2 V at 10,000 cd m⁻²) using the 18C6 additive.

Conclusions:

• The 18C6 additive provides a viable alternative to traditional interlayers in PeLEDs.
• This approach enables simultaneous optimization of electroluminescence efficiency and operational stability.
• The findings offer a new strategy for designing high-performance and durable PeLED devices.