Molecular makeover brightens organic light near 1,000 nanometers
Near-infrared organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) that emit about 1,000 nanometers could support biomedical and security technologies. Yet pushing organic light to these longer wavelengths usually causes a steep drop in efficiency. As the energy gap becomes smaller, molecular vibrations more readily turn excited-state energy into heat rather than light.
Scientists from Taiwan have developed a new type of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) that emits near-infrared light at around 1,000 nanometers. This breakthrough could benefit biomedical and security applications. However, moving organic light to longer wavelengths typically results in a significant decrease in efficiency due to molecular vibrations that dissipate energy as heat instead of light.
To tackle this issue, researchers redesigned the core of C-shaped organic dyes, replacing the traditional benzene framework with sulfur and selenium-rich structures. This modification promotes intramolecular charge transfer, enabling the emission to shift toward 1,000 nanometers while minimizing nonradiative energy loss. The study, published in Advanced Materials, highlights the importance of coordinating molecular design, charge transport, and interfacial energy transfer for efficient deep-near-infrared OLEDs.
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