Approaching the theoretical efficiency limit of quantum-dot light-emitting diodes via synergistic optimization

Haotao Li; Fengshou Tian; Shuming Chen

doi:10.1007/s12274-023-5520-6

Nano Research 2023, 16(7): 10156-10163 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-023-5520-6

Research Article | Issue | Published: 02 April 2023

Approaching the theoretical efficiency limit of quantum-dot light-emitting diodes via synergistic optimization

Show Author's Information Hide Author's Information Haotao Li, Fengshou Tian, Shuming Chen(

)

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China

Keywords:

quantum dots, light-emitting diodes, microcavity, light outcoupling efficiency, theoretically maximal efficiency

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Light emitting diodes

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Li H, Tian F, Chen S. Approaching the theoretical efficiency limit of quantum-dot light-emitting diodes via synergistic optimization. Nano Research, 2023, 16(7): 10156-10163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-023-5520-6

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Abstract

The importance of optical resonance in enhancing light outcoupling efficiency (OCE) is frequently overlooked in conventional bottom-emitting quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) due to their weak microcavity effect. Herein, we show that by synergistically optimizing the optical and the electrical performances, QLEDs with efficiency approaching the theoretical limit can be realized. By introducing a high refractive index indium zinc oxide (IZO) electrode and optimizing its thickness, the light OCE is significantly improved and consequently the red QLEDs exhibit an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 33.2%, which is 1.4-fold higher than that of the reference devices with conventional indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. Moreover, with a high refractive index plastic substrate and a microlens array, the EQE can further be improved to a record value of 37.5%. Similar results are obtained in green and blue devices, which show an EQE of 18.8% and 14.4%, respectively. We also predict that the theoretical EQE limit of red, green, and blue QLEDs can reach 35.4%–36.5%, 24.8%–34.0%, and 25.1%–35.8%, respectively, without using any light outcoupling structures. The proposed synergistic optimization strategy enables the efficiencies of red, green, and blue QLEDs to approach their theoretical limits.

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About this article

Approaching the theoretical efficiency limit of quantum-dot light-emitting diodes via synergistic optimization

Show Author's information Hide Author's Information Haotao Li, Fengshou Tian, Shuming Chen(

)

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China

Abstract

Keywords: quantum dots, light-emitting diodes, microcavity, light outcoupling efficiency, theoretically maximal efficiency

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Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 02 December 2022

Revised: 07 January 2023

Accepted: 18 January 2023

Published: 02 April 2023

Issue date: July 2023

Copyright

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 62174075), the Shenzhen Science and Technology Program (Nos. JCYJ20210324105400002 and JCYJ20220530113809022), and the Guangdong University Research Program (No. 2020ZDZX3062).