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

Investigating Organization
InnovaLight

Principal Investigator(s)
Mr. Fred Mikulec, fmikulec@innovalight.com, (512) 331-6417

Subcontractor
University of Texas at Austin

Funding Source
Small Business Innovation R&D, Phase I

Award
DOE Share: $100,000

Contract Period
7/15/04 - 4/15/05

Silicon nanoparticles hold great promise toward 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 five 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 toward 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 organic 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.

Content dated 2/08