Enhancement of electron injection in polymer light-emitting diodes with a supramolecular insulating nanolayer on the bottom cathode

Abstract

With the aim of enhancing the electron injection of a polymer light-emitting diode (PLED), a supramolecular insulating nanolayer that reacts with the cathode (Ag) was inserted between the bottom cathode and the emitting material. The PLED threshold voltage (for 1 cd/m(2)) was found to decrease from 5.6 to 4.2 V as a result of the introduction of the nanolayer. Synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy results show that inserting the supramolecular insulating nanolayer results in a decrease in the work function of about 0.7 eV. This reduction lowers the electron injection barrier and produces an increase in the luminance. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.