Photoluminescent and electrolum characteristics of thin films of a terbium complex with various ligands prepared using the vacuum evaporation method

Abstract

Electroluminescent (EL) devices based on organic materials have been of great interest due to their possible applications for large-area flat-panel displays, for which they are attractive because of their multi-color emission, and low operating-voltage capabilities. In this study, several Tb complexes, such as Tb(ACAC)(3)(Phen), Tb(ACAC)(3)(Phen-Cl), and Tb(TPB)(3)(Phen), were synthesized, and the PL and the EL characteristics of their thin films were investigated by fabricating devices having the structure ITO/TPD/Terbium complex/Alq(3)/Al, where the TPD and the Alq(3) films were used as hole- and electron-transporting materials, respectively. It was found that the photoluminescence (PL) and the EL characteristics of these Terbium complexes were dependent upon the ligands coordinated to the terbium metal.