Alternating current-driven quantum-dot light-emitting diodes with planar architecture

Development of alternating current (AC)-driven devices with versatile architecture is a potential approach to realize multifunctional light-emitting sources. Planar AC-powered electroluminescent (pAC-EL) devices using lateral placement of electrodes, instead of conventional stacking, are an emerging design that manifests promising applications beyond displays. While phosphors and organic light-emitting materials have been applied in pAC-EL devices, further enhancing the color purity and brightness remains a daunting challenge. In this Letter, we explore the utilization of quantum dots as the emitting layer for pAC-EL single-insulation devices without external injection. In such architecture, light is produced by the recombination of internally generated holes and field-induced electrons in the emissive layer of two in-plane light-emitting units alternately. The developed pAC-QLEDs exhibited a maximum brightness of 2023, 6327, and 613cd/m(2) for red, green, and blue (RGB) emissions at 150kHz, respectively. Furthermore, a white-emitting pAC-QLED and a bi-color pAC-QLED were also constructed by stacking the R/G/B QD layers in serial and putting the R/G QD layers in parallel, respectively. In addition, compatibility of the proposed device configuration with flexible substrates is also manifested. The development of pAC-QLEDs provides an effective route to achieve high brightness without external injection, indicating diverse applications of these light sources for health monitoring sensors and phototherapy.

Automated summary

The development of alternating current (AC)-driven quantum dot light-emitting diodes (pAC-QLEDs) demonstrates high brightness red, green, and blue emissions, as well as white-emitting and bi-color pAC-QLEDs. The compatibility with flexible substrates opens up diverse applications for health monitoring sensors and phototherapy.