Observation of near infrared and enhanced visible emissions from electroluminescent devices with organo samarium(III) complex

Samarium (dibenzoylmethanato)3 bathophenanthroline (Sm(DBM)3 bath) was employed as an emitting and electron transport layer in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), and narrow electroluminescent (EL) emissions of a Sm3+ ion were observed in the visible and near infrared (NIR) region, differing from those of the same devices with Eu3+- or Tb3+-complex EL devices with the same structure. The EL emissions of the Sm3+-devices originate from transitions from 4G5/2 to the lower respective levels of Sm3+ ions. A maximum luminance of 490 cd m-2 at 15 V and an EL efficiency of 0.6% at 0.17 mA cm-2 were obtained in the visible region, and the improved efficiency should be attributed to introducing a transitional layer between the N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(3-methylphenyl)-1,1'-diphenyl-4,4'-diamine (TPD) film and the Sm(DBM)3 bath film and the avoidance of interfacial exciplex emission in devices. Sharp emissions of Sm3+ ions in the NIR region were also observed under a lower threshold value less than 4.5 V