NDOT: Novel n-Dopants for OPV and OLED

Duration: 01.01.2025 - 31.12.2027

Funding amount: 404,500.47€

Funding by: SAB / EFRE

Summary:

OLED displays, which are already present in every second new smartphone, and organic solar films, as developed and commercialized in Dresden, share a common feature: they are built from layers of small organic molecules. To improve the performance efficiency and lifetime of these devices, the principle of doping organic layers is utilized. This is achieved by adding suitable chemical compounds, known as p- and n-dopants, which generate additional positive and negative charge carriers.

To date, however, there are no suitable n-dopants on the market that fully meet the demanding spectrum of requirements for air stability, thermal properties, and doping strength. Display manufacturers are forced to rely on an alternative electron injection approach, whose disadvantages are manifested in higher operating voltages and thus reduced power efficiency of OLEDs. For organic photovoltaics (OPV) and sensors (OPD = organic photodetectors), a solution that is sufficiently stable for mass production with high throughput is still lacking.

Building on a new class of substances discovered in a DFG knowledge transfer project, this project aims to develop suitable prototypes for n-dopants that meet the different requirements of OLED and OPV/OPD for doping strength while providing the highest possible thermal and air stability. The suitability for applications in OLED and OPV/OPD will be investigated in device tests.