High-efficiency and stable deep-blue iridium phosphorescent OLEDs with enhanced charge transfer dynamics

Siqi Li; Kai-Ning Tong; Meng Zhang; Wei He; Chengcheng Wu; Junki Ochi; Di Wu; Kefei Shi; Xin Wang; Singyeong Jung; Feiyu Kang; Chihaya Adachi; Takuji Hatakeyama; Guodan Wei

doi:10.1038/s41377-026-02264-y

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High-efficiency and stable deep-blue iridium phosphorescent OLEDs with enhanced charge transfer dynamics

Original Articles

- High-efficiency and stable deep-blue iridium phosphorescent OLEDs with enhanced charge transfer dynamics
- Light: Science & Applications Vol. 15, Issue 8, Pages: 2858-2870(2026)
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Institute of Materials Research, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
  2.Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
  3.Center for Organic Photonics and Electronic Research (OPERA), Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- Author bio：
  
  Chengcheng Wu (wucc@tsinghua.edu.cn)
  Feiyu Kang (fykang@sz.tsinghua.edu.cn)
  Chihaya Adachi (adachi@cstf.kyushu-u.ac.jp)
  Takuji Hatakeyama (hatake@kuchem.kyoto-u.ac.jp)
  Guodan Wei (weiguodan@sz.tsinghua.edu.cn)
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1038/s41377-026-02264-y
  CLC：
- Received：28 July 2025，
  
  Revised：2026-01-11，
  
  Accepted：01 March 2026，
  
  Online First：02 June 2026，
  
  Published：31 August 2026
- Accepted：
Scan QR Code
Li, S. Q. et al. High-efficiency and stable deep-blue iridium phosphorescent OLEDs with enhanced charge transfer dynamics. Light: Science & Applications, 15, 2858-2870 (2026).
DOI：

Li, S. Q. et al. High-efficiency and stable deep-blue iridium phosphorescent OLEDs with enhanced charge transfer dynamics. Light: Science & Applications, 15, 2858-2870 (2026). DOI： 10.1038/s41377-026-02264-y.

摘要

Abstract

Deep-blue phosphorescent OLEDs (Ph-OLEDs) with high efficiency and stability are essential for advanced display technologies

ensuring sharp image quality and enhanced visibility. In this work

we report a novel class of asymmetric [3 + 2 +

]

coordinated iridium(Ⅲ) complexes incorporate strongly electron-withdrawing trifluoromethyl (–CF

) and fluorine (–F) modified N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. This strategic molecular design enables efficient deep-blue emission. Among these complexes

the CF

-substituted Ir(Ⅲ) complex (

-2

) exhibits pronounced charge-transfer (CT) characteristics and a significantly enhanced radiative decay rate (

$$ {k}_{r} $$

= 1.28 ×10

-1

)

enabling rapid and efficient phosphorescence at 443 nm. Devices employing

-2

demonstrated exceptional maximum external quantum efficiency (

EQE

max

) of up to 29.0%

with emission centered at 443 nm and Commission Internationale de L’Éclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.147

0.089)

fulfilling National Television System Committee (NTSC) blue standards for high-quality displays. Meanwhile

devices employing

-1

reached an

EQE

max

of 24.6% with a maximum luminance of 6542 cd m

−2

and CIE

of (0.152

0.126)

demonstrating high color purity and efficiency. A control device fabricated without sensitization using

-1

further confirms its intrinsic material stability by exhibiting a remarkable operational lifetime of LT

of 3875 h at L = 100 cd m

−2

with CIE

of (0.132

0.131). Furthermore

hyper-OLEDs were developed using these complexes as phosphorescent sensitizers. The hyper-OLED incorporating

-1

with the TADF emitter

-DABNA achieved an impressive device lifetime of LT

= 2127 h at 100 cd m

−2

. In parallel

the

-2

-sensitized hyper-OLED u

sing DOB2-DABNA-A achieved a deep-blue emission with CIE coordinates of (0.146

0.067) and a lifetime of LT

= 373 h under the same luminance

representing a significant advancement in the practical stability of deep-blue OLEDs. Notably

we demonstrate the successful integration of these deep-blue Ph-OLEDs with OLED-on-TFT microdisplay technology

achieving a pixel resolution of 94 PPI (270 × 270 μm) with programmable emission patterns. This innovative molecular coordination design strategy provides valuable insights into ligand engineering and exciton management

opening new pathways toward high-efficiency

long-lifetime deep-blue OLEDs for next-generation microdisplay and display technologies.

关键词

Keywords

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