Efficient energy levels and lifetimes regulation of excited states for narrowband thermally activated delayed fluorescence

Multiple resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) materials attract much attention owing to their 100 % exciton utilization, high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and narrowband emission with high color purity. However, how to regulate the energy levels and lifetimes of excited states for long-wavelength and short delayed fluorescence lifetime MR-TADF materials is still a challenge. Herein, an electron acceptor unit of pyrimidine derivative is introduced with steric-hinerance effect. The emission spectrum of BN-DPP is red shifted with 15 nm and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) is even narrower of 20 nm compared with that of DtCZB. A yellow-green MR-TADF material, called BN-DPBQ, is fabricated by extended the conjugation. Moreover, the delayed fluorescence lifetime of BN-DPBQ is half of that of BN-DPP. The BN-DPP based devices exhibit greenish blue emission with peak locating at 494 nm and maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 23.6 %. BN-DPBQ based ones show much red shifted spectrum with emission peak at 538 nm and maximum EQE of 20.3 %. The results indicate that introducing electron acceptor units with steric-hinerance effect and extending the conjugation of resonance skeleton are effective ways to regulate energy levels and lifetimes of excited states for MR-TADF.