Quantitative analyses of high electroluminescence efficiency of thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitters based on acridine–triazine hybrids

Quantitative optical analyses were conducted on the mechanisms of impressively high electroluminescence (EL) efficiency (external quantum efficiency of up to 37%) achieved in previously reported blue organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) using thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitters based on acridine–triazine hybrids. In addition to high photoluminescence quantum yields and preferentially horizontal emitting dipoles, optical simulation shows that the use of both low-index hole-transport layers (HTLs) and electron-transport layers (ETLs) also substantially contribute to enhanced optical outcoupling efficiencies and EL efficiencies of these devices. Further analyses on optical mode distributions and partitions in devices reveal significantly different optical outcoupling enhancement mechanisms for adopting low-index HTLs (i.e., reduced overall waveguided modes and enhanced microcavity effect) or adopting low-index ETLs (i.e., reduced surface plasmon and transverse magnetic waveguided modes), and their effects are combined to give even larger enhancement when reducing refractive indexes of both. Results of this work clearly indicate that optical properties of carrier-transport layers, in addition to their electrical properties, are critical factors and should also be carefully considered for future development of high-efficiency OLEDs.