Fully rohs compliant infrared light emitting diodes based on novel lead-free quantum dots
Infrared light-emitting diodes (IR-LEDs) serve a broad range of applications including fiber-optic communications, night vision as well as clinical diagnosis and biomedical imaging. Within the family of nanomaterials, colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) offer exceptional promises for IR-LEDs due to their unique optical properties and low-cost solution-processability. So far, state-of-the-art QD IR-LEDs are based on lead-containing QDs, which has been severely restricted by the environmental directives e.g. EU’s “Restriction of Hazardous Substances” (RoHS). In fact, current challenges of IR-LED technology are to identify and develop novel and efficient lead-free QDs. INFLED aims at demonstrating the first RoHS-compliant and efficient QD IR-LED based on innovative and environmentally friendly material design and device engineering. The project targets the most efficient heavy metal-free infrared QD using a novel synthesis technique as well as rationally nanoengineering at material level. Furthermore, the resultant design at device level will lead to low trap state density, high solid-state quantum efficiency and thereby efficient LEDs. Hence, the key objectives of this proposal are: i) a novel QD synthesis method; ii) material design at nanocrystalline level; iii) LED device engineering at supra-nanocrystalline level. INFLED is at the crossroad of chemistry, physics and engineering, and therefore is expected to attract significant attention from different disciplines along with offering new insights toward next-generation infrared and quantum network technology.