Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Organic Light-Emitting Devices with Tandem Structure

  • Review
  • Published:
Topics in Current Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Tandem organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) have attracted considerable attention for solid-state lighting and flat panel displays because their tandem architecture enables high efficiency and long operational lifetime simultaneously. In the tandem OLED structure, plural light-emitting units (LEUs) are stacked in series through a charge generation layer (CGL) and an electron injection layer (EIL). In this chapter, we focus on the key features of tandem OLEDs for high efficiency and long operational lifetimes. We also demonstrate the effect of the CGL comprising a Lewis acid, an n-type semiconductor metal oxide, and an organic electron-accepting material. We discuss the two types of EILs in tandem OLEDs: alkali metals containing n-type compounds and ultra-thin metals. Finally, we focus on the recent progress of the state-of-the-art solution-processed tandem OLEDs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Reproduced with permission from [46]. Copyright 2010, AIP Publishing LLC

Fig. 5

Reproduced with permission from [13]. Copyright 2011, Elsevier

Fig. 6

Reproduced with permission from [77]. Copyright 2012, The Royal Society of Chemistry

Fig. 7

Reproduced with permission from [89]. Copyright 2014, WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Fig. 8

Reproduced with permission from [92]. Copyright 2015, WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kido J, Kimura M, Nagai K (1995) Science 267:1332

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Shen ZL, Burrows PE, Bulovic V, Forrest SR, Thompson ME (1997) Science 276:2009

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Sun Y, Giebink NC, Kanno H, Ma B, Thompson ME, Forrest SR (2006) Nature 440:908

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Reineke S, Lindner F, Schwartz G, Seidler N, Walzer K, Lussem B, Leo K (2009) Nature 459:234

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Helander MG, Wang ZB, Qiu J, Greiner MT, Puzzo DP, Liu ZW, Lu ZH (2011) Science 332:944

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Han T-H, Lee Y, Choi M-R, Woo S-H, Bae S-H, Hong BH, Ahn J-H, Lee T-W (2012) Nat. Photon. 6:105

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Uoyama H, Goushi K, Shizu K, Nomura H, Adachi C (2012) Nature 492:234

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Meerheim R, Walzer K, Pfeiffer M, Leo K (2006) Appl Phys Lett 89:061111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. T. Matsumoto, T. Nakada, J. Endo, K. Mori, N. Kawamura, A. Yokoi, J. Kido (2003) SID 03 Digest 979

  10. Liao LS, Klubek KP, Tang CW (2004) Appl Phys Lett 84:167

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Kanno H, Holmes RJ, Sun Y, Kena-Cohen S, Forrest SR (2006) Adv Mater 18:339

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Liao LS, Slusarek WK, Hatwar TK, Ricks ML, Comfort DL (2008) Adv Mater 20:324

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Chiba T, Pu Y-J, Miyazaki R, Nakayama K-I, Sasabe H, Kido J (2011) Org Electron 12:710

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lee S, Shin H, Kim JJ (2014) Adv Mater 26:5864

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Zhang Y, Lee J, Forrest SR (2014) Nat Commun 5:5008

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Law CW, Lau KM, Fung MK, Chan MY, Wong FL, Lee CS, Lee ST (2006) Appl Phys Lett 89:133511

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Chan MY, Lai SL, Lau KM, Fung MK, Lee CS, Lee ST (2007) Adv Funct Mater 17:2509

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Hamwi S, Meyer J, Kroger M, Winkler T, Witte M, Riedl T, Kahn A, Kowalsky W (2010) Adv Funct Mater 20:1762

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Yang JP, Xiao Y, Deng YH, Duhm S, Ueno N, Lee ST, Li YQ, Tang JX (2012) Adv Funct Mater 22:600

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Liu J, Huang SJ, Shi XD, Wu XK, Wang J, He GF (2013) J Phys Chem C 117:13887

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Sun JX, Zhu XL, Peng HJ, Wong M, Kwok HS (2005) Appl Phys Lett 87:093504

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Zhang HM, Dai YF, Ma DG, Zhang HM (2007) Appl Phys Lett 91:123504

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Zhang HM, Choy WCH, Dai YF, Ma DG (2009) Org Electron 10:402

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Ding BF, Hou XY, Alameh K (2012) Appl Phys Lett 101:133305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Liao LS, Klubek KP (2008) Appl Phys Lett 92:223311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Terai M, Tsutsui T (2007) Appl Phys Lett 90:083502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Yan F, Chen R, Sun HD, Sun XW (2013) Appl Phys Lett 102:203303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Tsutsui T, Terai M (2004) Appl Phys Lett 84:440

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Guo FW, Ma DG (2005) Appl Phys Lett 87:173510

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Chen CW, Lu YJ, Wu CC, Wu EHE, Chu CW, Yang Y (2005) Appl Phys Lett 87:241121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Kanno H, Giebink NC, Sun YR, Forrest SR (2006) Appl Phys Lett 89:023503

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Ho MH, Chen TM, Yeh PC, Hwang SW, Chen CH (2007) Appl Phys Lett 91:233507

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Lee TW, Noh T, Choi BK, Kim MS, Shin DW, Kido J (2008) Appl Phys Lett 92:043301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Yook KS, Jeon SO, Min SY, Lee JY, Yang HJ, Noh T, Kang SK, Lee TW (2010) Adv Funct Mater 20:1797

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Sasabe H, Minamoto K, Pu YJ, Hirasawa M, Kido J (2012) Org Electron 13:2615

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Zhao YB, Tan ST, Demir HV, Sun XW (2015) Org Electron 23:70

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Chang CC, Chen JF, Hwang SW, Chen CH (2005) Appl Phys Lett 87:253501

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Leem DS, Lee JH, Kim JJ, Kang JW (2008) Appl Phys Lett 93:103304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Gao CH, Zhu XZ, Zhang L, Zhou DY, Wang ZK, Liao LS (2013) Appl Phys Lett 102:153301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Zhou DY, Cui LS, Zhang YJ, Liao LS, Aziz H (2014) Appl Phys Lett 105:153302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Zhou DY, Zu FS, Zhang YJ, Shi XB, Aziz H, Liao LS (2014) Appl Phys Lett 105:083301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Ding L, Tang X, Xu MF, Shi XB, Wang ZK, Liao LS (2014) Acs Appl Mater Interfaces 6:18228

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Sun HD, Guo QX, Yang DZ, Chen YH, Chen JS, Ma DG (2015) Acs Photonics 2:271

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Zhou DY, Shi XB, Liu Y, Gao CH, Wang K, Liao LS (2014) Org Electron 15:3694

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Kroger M, Hamwi S, Meyer J, Riedl T, Kowalsky W, Kahn A (2009) Appl Phys Lett 95:123301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Meyer J, Kroger M, Hamwi S, Gnam F, Riedl T, Kowalsky W, Kahn A (2010) Appl Phys Lett 96:193302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Kim YK, Kim JW, Park Y (2009) Appl Phys Lett 94:063305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Lai SL, Chan MY, Fung MK, Lee CS, Lee ST (2007) J Appl Phys 101:014509

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Chen YH, Wang Q, Chen JS, Ma DG, Yan DH, Wang LX (2012) Org Electron 13:1121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Liu HH, Yan F, Wang H, Miao YQ, Du XG, Jing S, Gao ZX, Chen LQ, Hao YY, Xu BS (2013) Appl Phys Lett 102:013304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Lu ZY, Li X, Wang Y, Xiao J, Xu PL (2014) Curr Appl Phys 14:1465

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Hong K, Lee JL (2012) J Phys Chem C 116:6427

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Hung LS, Tang CW, Mason MG (1997) Appl Phys Lett 70:152

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Cho K, Cho SW, Jeon PE, Lee H, Whang CN, Jeong K, Kang SJ, Yi Y (2008) Appl Phys Lett 92:093304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Ding BF, Alameh K (2012) J Phys Chem C 116:24690

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Endo J, Matsumoto T, Kido J (2002) Jpn J Appl Phys 41:L800

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Pu Y-J, Miyamoto M, Nakayama K, Oyama T, Masaaki Y, Kido J (2009) Org Electron 10:228

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Friend RH, Gymer RW, Holmes AB, Burroughes JH, Marks RN, Taliani C, Bradley DDC, Dos Santos DA, Bredas JL, Logdlund M, Salaneck WR (1999) Nature 397:121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Ho PKH, Kim JS, Burroughes JH, Becker H, Li SFY, Brown TM, Cacialli F, Friend RH (2000) Nature 404:481

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Burn PL, Lo SC, Samuel IDW (2007) Adv Mater 19:1675

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Gong X, Wang S, Moses D, Bazan GC, Heeger AJ (2005) Adv Mater 17:2053

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Huang F, Zhang Y, Liu MS, Jen AKY (2009) Adv Funct Mater 19:2457

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Earmme T, Ahmed E, Jenekhe SA (2010) Adv Mater 22:4744

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Yang X, Müller DC, Neher D, Meerholz K (2006) Adv Mater 18:948

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Niu YH, Liu MS, Ka JW, Bardeker J, Zin MT, Schofield R, Chi Y, Jen AKY (2007) Adv Mater 19:300

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. Png RQ, Chia PJ, Tang JC, Liu B, Sivaramakrishnan S, Zhou M, Khong SH, Chan HS, Burroughes JH, Chua LL, Friend RH, Ho PK (2010) Nat Mater 9:152

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Huang JS, Li G, Wu E, Xu QF, Yang Y (2006) Adv Mater 18:114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Huang J, Xu Z, Yang Y (2007) Adv Funct Mater 17:1966

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Earmme T, Jenekhe SA (2012) Adv Funct Mater 22:5126

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Qian L, Zheng Y, Choudhury KR, Bera D, So F, Xue JG, Holloway PH (2010) Nano Today 5:384

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Youn H, Yang M (2010) Appl Phys Lett 97:243302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  72. Chiba T, Pu Y-J, Hirasawa M, Masuhara A, Sasabe H, Kido J (2012) Acs Appl. Mater. Interfaces 4:6104

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Bolink HJ, Brine H, Coronado E, Sessolo M (2010) Adv Mater 22:2198

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Kabra D, Lu LP, Song MH, Snaith HJ, Friend RH (2010) Adv Mater 22:3194

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Vaynzof Y, Kabra D, Chua LL, Friend RH (2011) Appl Phys Lett 98:113306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  76. Park JS, Lee JM, Hwang SK, Lee SH, Lee HJ, Lee BR, Park HI, Kim JS, Yoo S, Song MH, Kim SO (2012) J Mater Chem 22:12695

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  77. Chiba T, Pu Y-J, Sasabe H, Kido J, Yang Y (2012) J Mater Chem 22:22769

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  78. Talik NA, Yeoh KH, Ng CYB, Yap BK, Woon KL (2014) J Lumin 154:345

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  79. Akatsuka T, Roldan-Carmona C, Orti E, Bolink HJ (2014) Adv Mater 26:770

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  80. Zhou Y, Fuentes-Hernandez C, Shim J, Meyer J, Giordano AJ, Li H, Winget P, Papadopoulos T, Cheun H, Kim J, Fenoll M, Dindar A, Haske W, Najafabadi E, Khan TM, Sojoudi H, Barlow S, Graham S, Bredas JL, Marder SR, Kahn A, Kippelen B (2012) Science 336:327

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  81. Kim YH, Han TH, Cho H, Min SY, Lee CL, Lee TW (2014) Adv Funct Mater 24:3808

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  82. Hofle S, Schienle A, Bruns M, Lemmer U, Colsmann A (2014) Adv Mater 26:2750

    Article  Google Scholar 

  83. Stolz S, Scherer M, Mankel E, Lovrincic R, Schinke J, Kowalsky W, Jaegermann W, Lemmer U, Mechau N, Hernandez-Sosa G (2014) Acs Appl. Mater Interfaces 6:6616

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  84. Chen S, Manders JR, Tsang SW, So F (2012) J Mater Chem 22:24202

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  85. Hofle S, Bruns M, Strassle S, Feldmann C, Lemmer U, Colsmann A (2013) Adv Mater 25:4113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  86. Hofle S, Schienle A, Bernhard C, Bruns M, Lemmer U, Colsmann A (2014) Adv Mater 26:5155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  87. Hofle S, Bernhard C, Bruns M, Kubel C, Scherer T, Lemmer U, Colsmann A (2015) Acs Appl. Mater. Interfaces 7:8132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  88. Aizawa N, Pu Y-J, Chiba T, Kawata S, Sasabe H, Kido J (2014) Adv Mater 26:7543

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  89. Pu Y-J, Chiba T, Ideta K, Takahashi S, Aizawa N, Hikichi T, Kido J (2015) Adv Mater 27:1327

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  90. Aizawa N, Pu Y-J, Watanabe M, Chiba T, Ideta K, Toyota N, Igarashi M, Suzuri Y, Sasabe H, Kido J (2014) Nat. Commun. 5:5756

    Article  Google Scholar 

  91. Perumal A, Faber H, Yaacobi-Gross N, Pattanasattayavong P, Burgess C, Jha S, McLachlan MA, Stavrinou PN, Anthopoulos TD, Bradley DDC (2015) Adv Mater 27:93

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  92. Chiba T, Pu Y-J, Kido J (2015) Adv Mater 27:4681

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Organic Device Engineering, Research Center for Organic Electronics, Yamagata University, 4-3-16 Jonan, Yonezawa, Yamagata, 992-8510, Japan

    Takayuki Chiba, Yong-Jin Pu & Junji Kido

Authors
  1. Takayuki Chiba
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yong-Jin Pu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Junji Kido
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Yong-Jin Pu or Junji Kido.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection “Photoluminescent Materials and Electroluminescent Devices”; edited by Nicola Armaroli, Henk Bolink.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chiba, T., Pu, YJ. & Kido, J. Organic Light-Emitting Devices with Tandem Structure. Top Curr Chem (Z) 374, 33 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41061-016-0031-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41061-016-0031-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation