Organic vertical cavity lasing device having organic active region

1. An organic vertical cavity laser light producing device, comprising:

a) a bottom dielectric stack reflective to light over a predetermined range of wavelengths;

b) an organic active layer for producing laser light, comprising an emissive material that has a host material;

c) a top dielectric stack spaced from the bottom dielectric stack and reflective to light over a predetermined range of wavelengths;

d) an external pump-beam light structure for producing light that is transmitted and introduced into the organic active region through at least one of the dielectric stacks wherein the absorption of the host material significantly overlaps the emission spectrum of the pump-beam light; and

e) the organic active layer is positioned between the bottom and top dielectric stacks and includes one or more periodic gain layers and organic spacer layers disposed on either side of the periodic gain layer(s) and arranged so that the periodic gain layer(s) is aligned with the antinodes of the device's standing wave electromagnetic field, and wherein the spacer layers are substantially transparent to the laser light.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the emissive material includes a dopant.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the absorption of the host material or the host material and the dopant is small at the laser emission wavelength of the device.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the emission of the host material significantly overlaps the absorption of the dopant.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the spacer layers have insignificant absorption at or above the emission of the pump-beam light.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the spacer layers comprise a compound selected from the group consisting 1,2,3,4-tetraarylnaphthalene, mono-, 1,3-di-, 1,3,5-tri-, or 1,3,5,7-tetraaryladamantane, tetraarylmethane or triptycene compounds, which compounds may be substituted or unsubstituted, and combinations thereof.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the spacer layers comprise a compound selected from the group consisting of 1,2,3,4-tetraphenylnaphthalene, 1,3,5-tri(3,5-dimethylphenyl)adamantane, 1,3,5,7-tetra(4-biphenyl)adamantane, 1,1-bis-(4-bis(4-methyl-phenyl)-amino-phenyl)-cyclohexane, tetra(4-biphenyl)methane, and 2-t-butyl-9,10-o-benzeno-9,10-dihydroanthracene, which compounds may be substituted or unsubstituted, and combinations thereof.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a fluorescent aromatic compound.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material includes a compound selected from the group consisting of derivatives of tetracene, xanthene, perylene, rubrene, coumarin, rhodamine, quinacridone, dicyanomethylenepyran, thiopyran, polymethine, pyrilium, thiapyrilium, napthyridine, fluoranthene, furan, indole, thiaphene, benzoxanthene, pyrene, peropyrene, terphenyl, quaterphenyl, quinquephenyl, sexiphenyl, fluorene, anthanthrene, bisanthrene, N,N,N′,N′-tetrasubstituted benzidene, N,N,N′,N′-tetrarylbenzidene, and carbostyryl compounds, which compounds may be substituted or unsubstituted, and combinations thereof.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of a substituted aza-aromatic compound and an unsubstituted aza-aromatic compound.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of acridine, quinoline, purine, phenazine, phenoxazine, and phenanthroline compound, which compound may be substituted or unsubstituted.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of a substituted triarylamine compound and an unsubstituted triarylamine compound.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of chelated oxinoid compound, a dicarbazole-biphenyl compound, and a anthracene compound, which compound may be substituted or unsubstituted.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a compound containing at least three phenylene moieties.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of a substituted chelated oxinoid compound and an unsubstituted chelated oxinoid compound.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material comprise compound selected from the group consisting of a substituted dicarbazole-biphenyl compound and an unsubstituted dicarbazole-biphenyl compound.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the host material comprises 4,4′-N,N′-dicarbazole-1,1′-biphenyl (CBP).

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a compound selected form the group of a substituted anthracene compound and unsubstituted anthracene compound.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the host material comprises 9,10-di-(2-naphthyl)anthracene.

20. The device of claim 18 wherein the host material comprises 2-t-butyl-9,10-di-(2-naphthyl)anthracene.

21. The device of claim 18 wherein the host material comprises 9,10-bis-(4-(2,2′-diphenylethenyl)phenyl)anthracene.

22. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of a substituted benzoxazole compound, an unsubstituted benzoxazole compound, a substituted benzthiazole compound, an unsubstituted benzthiazole compound, a substituted oxazole compound, an unsubstituted oxazole compound, a substituted triazole compound, an unsubstituted triazole compound, a substituted oxadiazole compound, an unsubstituted oxadiazole compound, a substituted benzimidazole compound, and an unsubstituted benzimidazole compound.

23. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a compound of the formula:

X—CH═CH—Y—CH═CH-Z

where X and Z are independently selected from the group consisting of a substituted aromatic group, an unsubstituted aromatic group, a substituted aromatic complex ring group, and an unsubstituted aromatic complex ring group, said aromatic complex ring group having one nitrogen atom, and Y is selected from the group consisting of a divalent aromatic group and a divalent aromatic complex ring group having one nitrogen atom.

24. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a compound of the formula:

X—(CH═CH) n -Z

where X and Z are independently selected from the group consisting of a substituted aromatic group and an unsubstituted aromatic group, a substituted aromatic complex ring group, and an unsubstituted aromatic complex ring group, said aromatic complex ring group having one nitrogen atom, and n equals 1, 2, or 3.

25. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant material comprises a compound of the formula:

X—CH═CH—Y—CH═CH-Z

where X and Z are independently selected from the group consisting of a substituted aromatic group, an unsubstituted aromatic group, a substituted aromatic complex ring group and an unsubstituted aromatic complex ring group, said aromatic complex ring group having one nitrogen atom, and Y is selected from the group consisting of a divalent aromatic group, and a divalent aromatic complex ring group having one nitrogen atom.

26. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant material comprises a compound of the formula:

X—(CH═CH) n -Z

where X and Z are independently selected from the group consisting of a substituted aromatic group, an unsubstituted aromatic group, a substituted aromatic complex ring group, and an unsubstituted aromatic complex ring group, said aromatic complex ring group having one nitrogen atom, and n equals 1, 2, or 3.

27. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant material comprises a 4,4′-(1,4-phenylenedi-2,1-ethenediyl)bis(N,N-aryl)arylamine compound.

28. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant material comprises 4,4′-(9,10-anthracenediyldi-2,1-ethenediyl)bis(N,N-bis(4-methylphenyl)benzenamine.

29. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant material comprises 4,4′-(1,4-naphthalenediyldi-2,1-ethenediyl)bis(N,N-bis(4-methylphenyl)benzenamine.

30. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant material comprises 4,4′-(1,4-phenylenedi-2,1-ethenediyl)bis(N,N-(4-tolyl))benzeneamine.

31. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant comprises a fluorescent aromatic compound.

32. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant comprises a fluorescent dye.

33. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant comprises a phosphorescent dye.

34. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant is selected to provide emission between 300 and 1700 nm.

35. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant is selected to provide an emitted light having a blue hue.

36. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant is selected to provide an emitted light having a green hue.

37. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant is selected to provide an emitted light having a red hue.

38. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant comprises a fluorescent dye selected from the group sonsisting of anthracene, tetracene, xanthene, perylene, rubrene, coumarin, rhodamine, quinacridone, dicyanomethylenepyran, thiopyran, polymethine, pyrilium, thiapyrilium, napthyridine, fluoranthene, furan, indole, thiaphene, benzoxanthene, pyrene, peropyrene, terphenyl, quaterphenyl, quinquephenyl, sexiphenyl, fluorene, anthanthrene, bisanthrene, N,N,N′,N′-substituted benzidene, N,N,N′,N′-tetrarylbenzidene, carbostyryl, acridine, quinoline, purine, phenazine, phenoxazine, and phenanthroline compounds, which compounds may be substituted or unsusbstituted.

39. The device of claim 2 wherein the dopant comprises a compound selected form the group consisting of a benzoxazole compound, a benzthiazole compound, an oxazole compound, a triazole compound, an oxadiazole compound and a benzimidazole compound, any of which may be substituted or unsusbstituted.

40. The device of claim 38 wherein the dopant comprises a fluorescent dye including a compound selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted benzo-, dibenzo-, naphtha-, and dinaphtho-fused derivatives, and combinations thereof.

41. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material includes a polymeric material.

42. The device of claim 41 wherein the host material is a blend of two or more polymeric materials.

43. The device of claim 1 wherein the host material is a combination of nonpolymeric and polymeric material.

44. The device of claim 42 wherein the polymeric materials are unsubstituted poly(p-phenylenevinylene) derivatives.

45. The device of claim 42 wherein the polymeric materials are substituted and unsubstituted poly(p-phenylene) derivatives.

46. The device of claim 41 wherein the polymeric materials are substituted and unsubstituted polyfluorene derivatives.

47. The device of claim 41 wherein the polymeric materials are substituted and unsubstituted poly(p-pyridine).

48. The device of claim 41 wherein the polymeric materials are substituted and unsubstituted poly(p-pyridalvinylene) derivatives.

49. The device of claim 41 wherein the polymeric materials are substituted and unsubstituted poly(p-phenylene) ladder and step-ladder polymers.