Identifying the origin of delayed electroluminescence in a polariton organic light-emitting diode

TL;DR

This study investigates the origin of delayed electroluminescence in polariton organic LEDs, revealing that trapped charges are the main cause and that strong light-matter coupling does not alter this mechanism.

Contribution

First experimental and theoretical analysis of delayed electroluminescence in polariton OLEDs, clarifying the role of charge trapping under strong coupling conditions.

Findings

Delayed electroluminescence is dominated by trapped charges.

Strong coupling does not modify the charge trapping mechanism.

Theoretical models accurately fit the electroluminescence dynamics.

Abstract

Modifying the energy landscape of existing molecular emitters is an attractive challenge with favourable outcomes in chemistry and organic optoelectronic research. It has recently been explored through strong light-matter coupling studies where the organic emitters were placed in an optical cavity. Nonetheless, a debate revolves around whether the observed change in the material properties represents novel coupled system dynamics or the unmasking of pre-existing material properties induced by light-matter interactions. Here, for the first time, we examined the effect of strong coupling in polariton organic light-emitting diodes via time-resolved electroluminescence studies. We accompanied our experimental analysis with theoretical fits using a model of coupled rate equations accounting for all major mechanisms that can result in delayed electroluminescence in organic emitters. We found that in our devices the delayed electroluminescence was dominated by emission from trapped charges and this mechanism remained unmodified in the presence of strong coupling.