Efficient organic light-emitting diodes with phosphorescent platinum complexes containing N∧C∧N-coordinating tridentate ligand

We describe the phosphorescent characteristics of two platinum complexes containing an N∧C∧N-coordinating tridentate ligand: platinum(II) 3,5-di(2-pyridyl)toluene chloride [Pt(dpt)Cl] and a newly synthesized platinum(II) 3,5-di(2-pyridyl)toluene phenoxide [Pt(dpt)(oph)], together with the performance of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) prepared with these complexes as phosphors. Films containing each one of the complexes in a 4,4’-N,N’-dicalbazolylbiphenyl (CBP) host showed highly efficient photoluminescence. The fabricated OLEDs exhibited high efficiencies; the maximum external quantum efficiency of the device with Pt(dpt)(oph) phosphor after correction of angular dependence of emission was found to be 16.5%. The luminance half decay time of the Pt(dpt)(oph) device under a constant-current operation was considerably longer than that of the Pt(dpt)Cl device.