Efficient pure blue hyperfluorescence devices utilizing quadrupolar donor-acceptor-donor type of thermally activated delayed fluorescence sensitizers

Nat Commun. 2023 Jan 26;14(1):419. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-35926-1.

Abstract

The hyperfluorescence (HF) system has drawn great attention in display technology. However, the energy loss mechanism by low reverse intersystem crossing rate (kRISC) and the Dexter energy transfer (DET) channel is still challenging. Here, we demonstrate that this can be mitigated by the quadrupolar donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) type of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) sensitizer materials, DBA-DmICz and DBA-DTMCz. Further, the HF device with DBA-DTMCz and ν-DABNA exhibited 43.9% of high maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) with the Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage coordinates of (0.12, 0.16). The efficiency values recorded for the device are among the highest reported for HF devices. Such high efficiency is assisted by hindered DET process through i) high kRISC, and ii) shielded lowest unoccupied molecular orbital with the presence of two donors in D-A-D type of skeleton. Our current study provides an effective way of designing TADF sensitizer for future HF technology.