Origin of the large spectral shift in electroluminescence in a blue light emitting cationic iridium(III) complex

A new, but archetypal compound [ Ir( ppy- F-2) (2)Me(4)phen] PF6, where ppy- F2 is 2-(2',4'- fluorophenyl) pyridine and Me(4)phen is 3,4,7,8- tetramethyl- 1,10- phenanthroline, was synthesized and used to prepare a solid-state light-emitting electrochemical cell (LEEC). This complex emits blue light with a maximum at 476 nm when photoexcited in a thin film, with a photoluminescence quantum yield of 52%. It yields an efficient single-component solid-state electroluminescence device with a current efficiency reaching 5.5 cd A(-1) and a maximum power efficiency of 5.8 Lm Watt(-1). However, the electroluminescence spectrum is shifted with respect to the photoluminescence spectrum by 80 nm resul…