Polymers for use in optical devices

• US 6,919,415 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2003
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IPIFS Guarantee Corp.
• Original Assignee: Cambridge Display Technology Limited (Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited)
• Inventors: Friend, Richard Henry, Li, Xiao-Chang, Holmes, Andrew Bruce, Moratti, Stephen Carl, Murray, Kenneth Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Lipman, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US10/642,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20040059077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 526/218.1, 526/260, 526/307.5, 528/378, 528/380
• US Class Current: 526/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 128/06 by a heterocyclic ring containing sulfur
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 220/18 with acrylic or methacrylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 228/06 by a heterocyclic ring containing sulfur
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 61/00 Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming a carbon-to-carbon link in the main chain of the macromolecule C08G2/00 - C08G16/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 61/02 Macromolecular compounds containing only carbon atoms in the main chain of the macromolecule, e.g. polyxylylenes
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 61/12 Macromolecular compounds containing atoms other than carbon in the main chain of the macromolecule
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 61/126 with a five-membered ring containing one sulfur atom in the ring
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/06 containing organic luminescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/10 Apparatus or processes specially adapted to the manufacture of electroluminescent light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/14 characterised by the chemical or physical composition or the arrangement of the electroluminescent material , or by the simultaneous addition of the electroluminescent material in or onto the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/14 Carrier transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/12 using liquid deposition, e.g. spin coating
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/111 comprising aromatic, heteroaromatic, or aryl chains, e.g. polyaniline, polyphenylene or polyphenylene vinylene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/113 Heteroaromatic compounds comprising sulfur or selene, e.g. polythiophene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/114 Poly-phenylenevinylene; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/141 comprising aliphatic or olefinic chains, e.g. poly N-vinylcarbazol, PVC or PTFE
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/151 Copolymers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/6565 Oxadiazole compounds

Abstract

Optical devices fabricated from solvent processible polymers suffer from susceptibility to solvents and morphological changes. A semiconductive polymer capable of luminescence in an optical device is provided. The polymer comprises a luminescent film-forming solvent processible polymer which contains cross-linking so as to increase its molar mass and to resist solvent dissolution, the cross-linking being such that the polymer retains semiconductive and luminescent properties.

Claims

1. A process for the production of an optical device, which process comprises providing a luminescent film-forming solvent processable polymer and cross-linking the solvent processable polymer under conditions so as to increase its molar mass whereby the polymer is made resistant to solvent dissolution and retains its semiconductive and luminescent properties.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the optical device comprises an electroluminescent device.

3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the step of cross-linking the solvent processable polymer is effected using a cross-linking method selected from thermal cross-linking, chemical cross-linking or photochemical cross-linking.

4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the polymer includes a luminescent main chain.

5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the polymer includes a luminescent side chain.

6. A process according to claim 5, wherein the luminescent side chain is linked to the polymer main chain by a spacer.

7. A process according to claim 5, wherein the polymer comprises a polymethacrylate.

8. A process according to claim 1, wherein the polymer includes a charge transport segment in the polymer main chain or covalently linked thereto in a charge transport side chain.

9. A process according to claim 1, which process further comprises depositing a layer of an electroactive polymer on the cross-linked semiconductive polymer.

10. A cross-linked semiconductive polymer capable of luminescence in an optical device, and being resistant to solvent dissolution, which polymer is obtainable according to a process comprising providing a luminescent film-forming solvent processable polymer and cross-linking the solvent processable polymer under conditions so as to increase its molar mass whereby the polymer is made resistant to solvent dissolution and retains its semiconductive and luminescent properties.

11. A polymer according to claim 10, wherein the cross-linking is formed in a step selected from thermal cross-linking, chemical cross-linking and photochemical cross-linking.

12. A polymer according to claim 10, which includes a luminescent main chain.

13. A polymer according to claim 12, wherein the main chain comprises a polythiophene copolymer capable of luminescence.

14. A polymer according to claim 10, which includes luminescent side chain.

15. A polymer according to claim 14, wherein the luminescent side chain is linked to the polymer main chain by a spacer.

16. A polymer according to claim 14, wherein the polymer comprises a polymethacrylate polymer capable of luminescence.

17. A polymer according to claim 10, which includes a charge transport segment in the polymer main chain or covalently linked thereto in a charge transport side chain.

18. An optical device which comprises a substrate and a cross-linked semiconductive polymer as defined in claim 10, supported on the substrate.

19. An optical device according to claim 18, which comprises an electroluminescent device.

20. An optical device according to claim 18, further comprising a layer of an electroactive polymer on the semiconductive polymer.

21. An optical device according to claim 18, wherein the cross-linking is formed in a step selected from thermal cross-linking, chemical cross-linking and photochemical cross-linking.

22. An optical device according to claim 18, wherein the cross-linked semiconductive polymer includes a luminescent main chain.

23. An optical device according to claim 22, wherein the main chain of the cross-linked semiconductive polymer comprises a polythiophene copolymer capable of luminescence.

24. An optical device according to claim 18, wherein the cross-linked semiconductive polymer includes luminescent side chain.

25. An optical device according to claim 24, wherein the luminescent side chain is linked to the polymer main chain by a spacer.

26. An optical device according to claim 24, wherein the luminescent side chain comprises a distryryl benzene derivative.

27. An optical device according to claim 24, wherein the cross-linked semiconductive polymer comprises a polymethacrylate polymer of luminescence.

28. An optical device according to claim 18, wherein cross-linked semiconductive polymer includes a charge transport segment in the polymer main chain or covalently linked thereto in a charge transport side chain.