The luminescent properties of organic infrared (IR) and near-infrared (NIR) light-emitting materials were investigated for optical communication applications. These materials consisted of two organic ionic dyes, (2-[6-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)-2,4-neopentylene-1,3,5-hexatrienyl]-3-methyl-benzothiazonium perchlorate) (LDS821) and [C₄₁H₃₃Cl₂N₂]⁺•BF^4- (IR1051), and an organic rare-earth complex, erbium (III) tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) (ErQ). The three materials are both photoluminescent and electroluminescent in the 0.8-, 1.1- and 1.5-μm wavelength regions, respectively, and so can be used as optically active species in devices operated by either optical or current excitation. Three device forms were fabricated with these light-emitting materials as optically active species, namely vacuum-deposited or spin-coated polymer thin-films, monodispersed polymer microparticles and embedded polymeric optical waveguides. Their luminescent processes are discussed and possible optical communication applications are proposed.

Date Published: 18 June 2004
PDF: 14 pages
Proc. SPIE 5351, Organic Photonic Materials and Devices VI, (18 June 2004); doi: 10.1117/12.533769

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 5351:
Organic Photonic Materials and Devices VI
James G. Grote; Toshikuni Kaino, Editor(s)