Very High Brightness Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Devices via Enhanced Energy Transfer from a Phosphorescent Sensitizer

We demonstrate very efficient and bright quantum dot light-emitting devices (QDLEDs) with the use of a phosphorescent sensitizer and a thermal annealing step. Utilizing CdSe/CdS core/shell quantum dots with 560 nm emission peak, bis(4,6-difluorophenylpyridinatoN,C2) picolinatoiridium as a sensitizer, and thermal annealing at 50 °C for 30 min, green-emitting QDLEDs with a maximum current efficiency of 23.9 cd/A, a power efficiency of 31 lm/W, and a brightness of 65,000 cd/m(2) are demonstrated. The high efficiency and brightness are attributed to annealing-induced enhancements in both the Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) process from the phosphorescent energy donor to the QD acceptor and hole transport across the device. The FRET enhancement is attributed to annealing-induced diffusion of the phosphorescent material molecules from the sensitizer layer into the QD layer, which results in a shorter donor-acceptor distance. We also find, quite interestingly, that FRET to a QD acceptor is strongly influenced by the QD size, and is generally less efficient to QDs with larger sizes despite their narrower bandgaps.