Performance enhancement of organic light-emitting diodes with an electron-transport layer of bathocuproine

Abstract

Performance enhancement of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) is investigated in a device structure of ITO/TPD/ Alq3/LiF/Al and ITO/TPD/Alq3/BCP/LiF/Al. Here, bathocuproine (BCP) is used as an electron-transport layer. Current density-voltage-luminance characteristics of the OLEDs show that the performance of the device is better with BCP layer than without BCP layer. The current density, luminance, luminous efficiency, and external-quantum efficiency are improved by approximately 22%, 50%, 2%, and 18%, respectively. Since the BCP layer lowers the electron energy barrier, electron transport is facilitated and the movement of hole is blocked as the applied voltage increases. This results in an increased recombination rate of holes and electrons.