Vapochromic LED

Patent · Tue Jun 17 00:00:00 EDT 2003

OSTI ID:880149

Kunugi, Yoshihito ^[1]; Mann, Kent R ^[2]; Miller, Larry L ^[3]; Exstrom, Christopher L ^[4]

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1. Hiroshima, JP
2. North Oaks, MN
3. Minnetonka, MN
4. Kearney, NE

A sandwich device was prepared by electrodeposition of an insoluble layer of oligomerized tris(4-(2-thienyl)phenyl)amine onto conducting indium-tin oxide coated glass, spin coating the stacked platinum compound, tetrakis(p-decylphenylisocyano)platinum tetranitroplatinate, from toluene onto the oligomer layer, and then coating the platinum complex with aluminum by vapor deposition. This device showed rectification of current and gave electroluminescence. The electroluminescence spectrum (.lambda..sub.max =545 nm) corresponded to the photoluminescence spectrum of the platinum complex. Exposure of the device to acetone vapor caused the electroemission to shift to 575 nm. Exposure to toluene vapor caused a return to the original spectrum. These results demonstrate a new type of sensor that reports the arrival of organic vapors with an electroluminescent signal. The sensor comprises (a) a first electrode; (b) a hole transport layer formed on the first electrode; (c) a sensing/emitting layer formed on the hole transport layer, the sensing/emitting layer comprising a material that changes color upon exposure to the analyte vapors; (d) an electron conductor layer formed on the sensing layer; and (e) a second electrode formed on the electron conductor layer. The hole transport layer emits light at a shorter wavelength than the sensing/emitting layer and at least the first electrode comprises an optically transparent material.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: CHE-9216003; CHE-9307837; MIT/CC-S-588180/LITCO/DE
• Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN)
• Patent Number(s): US 6578406
• Application Number: 10/638269
• OSTI ID: 880149
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English