AC-driven Organic Light Emission Devices with Carbon Nanotubes

We have investigated alternating current (AC)-driven organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs), with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) incorporated within the emission layer. With CNT incorporation, the brightness of the OLEDs was substantially improved, and the turn-on voltage was reduced by at least a factor of five. Furthermore, the current levels of the CNT-incorporated OLEDs were lower than that of the reference device. A roughly 70% decrease in the current level was obtained for a CNT concentration of 0.03 wt%. This was accomplished by keeping the concentration of CNTs low and the length of CNTs short, which helped to suppress the percolation networking of CNTs within the emitting layer. Strong local electric fields near the end-tips of CNTs and micro-capacitors formed by dispersed CNTs might have caused this high brightness and these low currents. CNT incorporation in the emitting layer can improve the characteristics of AC-driven OLEDs, which are considered to be one of the candidates for flat panel displays and lightning devices.