Achieving 9% EQE in light-emitting electrochemical cells via a TADF-sensitized fluorescence strategy

Abstract

Light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) are appealing for cost-effective, large-area emission applications; however, their luminescence efficiency is significantly limited by exciton annihilation caused by high concentration polarons. Here, we present thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) sensitized fluorescence LECs (TSF-LECs) that achieve a record 9% EQE. The TADF sensitizers with rapid reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) rates can effectively convert triplet excitons to singlet excitons in LECs, thereby establishing a more efficient overall energy transfer pathway. Importantly, magneto-electroluminescence measurements indicate that the additional RISC route in TSF-LECs significantly suppresses the annihilation of triplet excitons and thus reduces exciton loss under high concentration polaron conditions. Compared to LECs without a sensitizer, TSF-LECs exhibit improved EQE and luminance, extended operational lifetimes, and suppressed efficiency roll-off. A flexible display prototype based on TSF-LECs was further fabricated, capable of stably displaying high-brightness preset patterns for extended periods. The exploration of the exciton dynamics in high concentration polaron environments offers valuable insights for future developments in high-efficiency LEC technology.