Spectra Stable Quantum Dots Enabled by Band Engineering for Boosting Electroluminescence in Devices

The band level landscape in quantum dots is of great significance toward achieving stable and efficient electroluminescent devices. A series of quantum dots with specific emission and band structure of the intermediate layer is designed, including rich CdS (R-CdS), thick ZnSe (T-ZnSe), thin ZnSe (t-ZnSe) and ZnCdS (R-ZnCdS) intermediate alloy shell layers. These quantum dots in QLEDs show superior performance, including maximum current efficiency, external quantum efficiencies and a T-50 lifetime (at 1000 cd/m(2)) of 47.2 cd/A, 11.2% and 504 h for R-CdS; 61.6 cd/A, 14.7% and 612 h for t-ZnSe; 70.5 cd/A, 16.8% and 924 h for T-ZnSe; and 82.0 cd/A, 19.6% and 1104 h for R-ZnCdS. Among them, the quantum dots with the ZnCdS interlayer exhibit deep electron confinement and shallow hole confinement capabilities, which facilitate the efficient injection and radiative recombination of carriers into the emitting layer. Furthermore, the optimal devices show a superior T-50 lifetime of more than 1000 h. The proposed novel methodology of quantum dot band engineering is expected to start a new way for further enhancing QLED exploration.

Automated summary

This study investigates the performance differences of quantum dots with different intermediate alloy shell layers in QLEDs, demonstrating that quantum dots with a ZnCdS intermediate layer exhibit deep electron confinement and shallow hole confinement capabilities, facilitating efficient injection and radiative recombination. The optimal devices show a superior T-50 lifetime of over 1000 hours.