Doped polymeric cathodes for PPV/Al based LEDs

The effect of Li-doping in poly(para-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) based light emitting devices has been studied. In a standard structure with an indium tin oxide (ITO) anode, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT-PSS)-layer and an active PPV-Iayer, the effects of a thin (around 1 Angstrom) Li-layer and a thin layer, (50 Angstrom), of a large bandgap polymer, poly(2,5-diheptyl-1,4-phenylene-alt-1,4-naphthylene) (P14NHP) between the PPV and the aluminum cathode have been studied in terms of IV-characteristics and efficiency. The Li-atoms dope the interfacial layer of the PPV as seen by photoelectron spectroscopy. A thin layer of Li improves the charge balance by decreasing the energy barrier for injection of electrons for the Al/Li/PPV/PEDOT-PSS/ITO device. The efficient electron injection originates from a Fermi level alignment between the doped polymer and the aluminum cathode, which reduces the energy barrier. A thin layer of the large bandgap, polymer P14NHP, between the PPV and Al contact, increases the light output and efficiency by blocking the holes. In addition, it may also reduce the light quenching by moving the region of recombination away from the Al-contact. The addition of a Li-layer on top of P14NHP leads to an increase of the quantum efficiency, because of better electron injection. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.