High Performance, Silicon Nanocrystal-Enhanced Organic Light Emitting Diodes for Gene

DOE Solid-State Lighting R&D

The U.S. Department of Energy and its partners are working to accelerate advances in solid-state lighting — a pivotal emerging technology that promises to fundamentally alter lighting in the future.

No other lighting technology offers the Department and our nation so much potential to save energy and enhance the quality of our building environments.




High Performance, Silicon Nanocrystal-Enhanced Organic Light Emitting Diodes for General Lighting (Phase I)

Silicon nanoparticles hold great promise towards enabling highly efficient, color tunable, and cost effective white light emitting devices capable of meeting the high standards of the general illumination market. While silicon in its usual bulk form does not emit light, when the particle size is reduced below 5 nanometers these silicon nanoparticles can display very bright photoluminescence. Single particle spectroscopy research has shown that quantum efficiencies approaching 100% are technically possible. Depending upon the size of the nanoparticle, this emission is tunable throughout most of the visible spectrum and into the IR. Precise variation of size and size distribution provides a simple yet powerful means of controlling emission quality. Also, since the emitter is the same silicon material in all cases, we do not anticipate differential aging problems that would tend to degrade emission quality over time.

The objective of this Phase I grant proposal is to develop a novel core-shell passivation scheme to stabilize silicon nanocrystal photoluminescence and ultimately achieve the theoretically predicted 100% quantum efficiency. InnovaLight is currently well on the way towards achieving this milestone. In Phase I, silicon nanocrystals will be treated using an innovative passivation scheme that coats them with novel inorganic shells. Two different core-shell combinations will be explored and proof-of-concept devices will be made. The resultant materials will be analyzed for both their physical and emissive properties. The goal is to have well characterized, light emitting particles ready for device optimization work in Phase II, a project we anticipate will focus on employing the stabilized nanocrystals in novel hybrid oraganic light emitting devices.

Numerous other high value market opportunities exist for the proposed technology as well, including flat panel displays, specialty lighting, biological sensors, quantum dot lasers, and novel floating gate memory structures. There is much commercial value in furthering research into this fundamental scientific area.

What the hells all this about ? ..anybody.. i can't figure it out ?.

http://www.netl.doe.gov/ssl/portfolio-05/HighPerformanceSiliconNanocrystal.htm

 

Well they are making nanoparticles of silicon photoluminesce. It doesnt say why very clearly but given its in reference to OLEDs id guess that they're going to use OLEDs to provide light for the silicon nanoparticles to flouresce. Quite why im not sure as OLEDs can be made in a variety of colours anyway. Maybe they think they can make smaller pixels by having the nanosilicon as the pixel and having the OLED as a backlight. Witha quantum efficiency of 100% you shouldnt loose much light but floursescence tends to scatter as well. I guess for general lighting you have a single colour OLED and then use this nanosilicon to produce white light. Depending on just how scattering the silicon is I guess it might work.

 

Thanks.. i was struggling to remember a article i read.. that seemed like it was about the same thing [my first post]..

I found a article about what i had read .... unsure if connected ?. have to have a nap..and read later..

http://www.infomaticsonline.co.uk/vnunet/news/2144459/lightbulbs

 

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Yeah that doesnt really give you much to go on. I guess they either dont want to say or they dont really know probably a bit of both. Im not generally convinced about using phosphors with OLEDs after all one of the big advantages of OLEDs is that you can easily make different colours. I dont know if you can get them close enough so that they eye would not be able to resolve the individual cells but id have thought so. So im not sure what this offers in terms of general lighting over that. Even if they can get 100% QE from the phosphor the complete system is going to be more scattering/lossy than just the OLEDs id have thought.

 

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I think i will just continue reading your posts guys [should they continue]... i just thought it sounded 'cool' ..or should that be 'nano cool' *shrugs shoulders..* Thanks both of you.