Near-Infrared Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) Based on Poly(phenylene)/Yb-tris(β-Diketonate) Complexes

Near‐infrared‐emitting electroluminescent (EL) devices using blue‐light‐emitting polymers blended with the Yb complexes Yb(DBM)3phen (DBM = dibenzoylmethane), Yb(DNM)3phen (DNM = dinaphthoylmethane), and Yb(TPP)L(OEt) (L(OEt) = [(C5H5)Co{P(O)Et2}3]–) have been studied. EL devices composed of Yb(DNM)3phen blended with PPP‐OR11 showed enhanced near‐IR output at 977 nm when compared to those fabricated with Yb(DBM)3phen/PPP‐OR11 blends. The maximum near‐IR external efficiencies of the devices with Yb(DBM)3phen and Yb(DNM)3phen are, respectively, 7 × 10–5 (at 6 V and at 0.81 mA mm–2) and 4 × 10–4 (at 7 V, and 0.74 mA mm–2). The optimal blend composition for EL device performance consisted of PPP‐OR11 blended with 10–20 mol‐% Yb(DNM)3phen. A device fabricated using Yb‐(TPP)L(OEt)/PPP‐OR11 showed significantly enhanced near‐IR output efficiency, and future efforts will focus on devices fabricated using porphyrin‐based materials. Near‐infrared‐emitting polymer light‐emitting diodes (PLEDs) based on functionalized poly(p‐phenylenes) with Yb3+ complexes show light output at ca. 1000 nm with concomitant quenching of the polymer host’s visible emission. The Figure shows one of the complexes used. A complex using porphyrin‐based ligands was shown to have particularly enhanced near‐IR output efficiency.