Simulation of Electron Trapping in Polymer Light-Emitting Diodes
Abstract Electron trapping in polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) operated at constant voltage results in a decrease of current and light emission over many minutes, and the decline becomes more pronounced with decreasing temperature. This seems to contradict the established electron trap formation scenario, which is temperature-activated and therefore decelerates when cooling down. Numerical simulations are performed on the device characteristics of pristine PLEDs and during operation, i.e., when electron traps form. The experimental current and emission trends are explained by a temperature-dependent variation of the trap occupancy, which is determined by the temperature-dependent charge mobilities and capture rates. Matching the simulated electron trap density between the PLED and the electron-only device requires a very slow electron capture rate, which is reasoned by the specific electron trap formation process in semiconducting polymers.
Authors
- Matthias Diethelm (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8899-1755)
- Roland Hany (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0569-119X)
- Anna Köhler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5029-4420)
- Sandra Jenatsch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1311-9898)
- Beat Ruhstaller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5649-8408)
- João Pedro Ferreira Assunção (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5052-5700)
- Mohammad Sedghi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4261-3473)
- Vasileios Georgakopoulos Paltidis
- Anatoly Dmitrievich Kuimov
Institutions
- University of Bayreuth (DE)
- Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (CH)
- ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences (CH)
Publication Details
- Journal
- ACS Omega
- Published
- 2026-11-07
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.6c05860
- Primary Topic
- Organic Light-Emitting Diodes Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- European Commission
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
- Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt
- Staatssekretariat für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation
- Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften
- H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions