Advanced materials and formulations for OLED display manufacturing

Abstract

This paper describes Eastman Kodak Company's commercialization efforts to develop new materials and formulations for monochrome and full-color displays. We have found a new set of materials, and combinations thereof, that improve luminance efficiency, lower drive voltage, and increase the operational stability of OLED devices. We report the developments in formulations for blue and white OLEDs based on fluorescent dopants that provide lifetimes exceeding 10,000 hours for blue, and 50,000 hours for white OLEDs at a starting luminance level of 1000 cd/m². A red formulation, based on a fluorescent dopant using a new host, is shown to give a record luminance efficiency of 7.8 cd/A combined with excellent color and lifetime. We have found a phosphorescent red-emitting device using a novel host material that gives an excellent efficiency of 9.6 lm/W. Further progress has been made in a new electron-transport layer to reduce display drive voltage, and thus reduce power consumption, while simultaneously increasing operational stability. We have compared this performance with currently available systems.