Electroluminescent materials and devices

1. An electroluminescent device comprising:

(i) a first electrode;

(ii) a second electrode; and,

(iii) a layer of an electroluminescent material positioned between said first and second electrodes, wherein said electroluminescent material comprises a compound having the following chemical formula:

wherein, in Formula I,

M is selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, copper, silver, gold, zinc, boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, germanium, tin, antimony, lead, manganese, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, cadmium and chromium;

n is the valency of M; and

R 1 , R 2 and R 3 can be the same or different, each being independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic groups; substituted or unsubstituted aromatic, heterocyclic or polycyclic ring structures; fluorocarbons; halogens and nitrile groups.

2. The electroluminescent device according to claim 1 wherein M is aluminum, R 1 is methyl, R 2 is phenyl and R 3 is a methyl, ethyl, 2,2-dimethylpropyl, iso-butyl, tert-butyl, benzyl, ethylphenyl, or fluorobenzyl group.

3. The electroluminescent device according to claim 1 wherein R 3 is a methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl or pentyl group.

4. The electroluminescent device according to claim 1 wherein a layer of a hole transmitting material is positioned between the first electrode and the layer of electroluminescent material.

5. The electroluminescent device according to claim 1 wherein a layer of an electron transmitting material is positioned between the second electrode and the layer of electroluminescent material.

6. The electroluminescent device according to claim 1 wherein:

(i) a layer of a hole transmitting material is located between the first electrode and the layer of the electroluminescent material; and,

(ii) a layer of an electron transmitting material is located between the second electrode and the layer of electroluminescent material.

7. The electroluminescent device according to claim 6 wherein the hole transmitting layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of:

a poly(vinylcarbazole) compound;

a substituted or unsubstituted polyaniline compound;

N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-bis(3-methylphenyl)-1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-diamine (TPD);

poly(p-phenylenevinylene) and copolymers thereof;

poly(2,5-dialkoxyphenylene vinylene);

poly(2-methoxypentyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene);

a polyfluorene or an oligofluorene compound;

a polyphenylene or an oligophenylene compound;

a polyanthracene or an oligoanthracene compound; and,

a polythiophene or an oligothiophene compound.

8. The electroluminescent device according to claim 6 wherein the electron transmitting material is a metal quinolate or aluminium or scandium dibenzoyl methane.

9. The electroluminescent device according to claim 8 wherein the electron transmitting material is a metal quinolate selected from the group consisting of lithium quinolate, sodium quinolate, potassium quinolate, zinc quinolate, magnesium quinolate and aluminum quinolate.

10. The electroluminescent device according to claim 6 wherein the first and/or the second electrode is formed on a deposition surface of a substrate of crystalline silicon, said deposition surface of the substrate being polished or smoothed to produce a flat surface prior to the deposition of electrode material or the electroluminescent material.

11. The electroluminescent device according to claim 6 wherein the first and/or the second electrode is formed on a surface of a non-planarised silicon substrate.

12. The electroluminescent device according to claim 6 wherein the hole transmitting layer is copper phthalocyanine and the electron transmitting layer is lithium fluoride.

13. The electroluminescent device according to claim 6 wherein the hole transmitting layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of:

a poly(2,5-dialkoxyphenylene vinylene), wherein at least one of the alkoxy groups is a long-chain solubilising alkoxy group;

poly(2-methoxy-5-(2-methoxypentyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene); and poly(2-methoxy-5(2-dodecyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene).

14. The electroluminescent device according to claim 1 wherein a hole transmitting material and the electroluminescent material are mixed with each other to form one layer having a proportion ranging from about 5 to 95% of the hole transmitting material and, respectively, about 95 to 5% of the electroluminescent material.

15. The electroluminescent device according to claim 1 wherein a electron transmitting material and the electroluminescent material are mixed with each other to form one layer having a proportion ranging from about 5 to 95% of the electron transmitting material and, respectively, about 95 to 5% of the electroluminescent material.

16. An electroluminescent device comprising:

(i) a first electrode;

(ii) a second electrode; and

(iii) a layer of an electroluminescent material positioned between said first and second electrodes, wherein said electroluminescent material is a compound selected from the group of compounds as represented by the following chemical formulas (a) to (h):