Highly-Directional, Highly-Efficient Solution-Processed Light-Emitting Diodes of All-Face-Down Oriented Colloidal Quantum Well Self-Assembly

Semiconductor colloidal quantum wells (CQWs) provide anisotropic emission behavior originating from their anisotropic optical transition dipole moments (TDMs). Here, solution-processed colloidal quantum well light-emitting diodes (CQW-LEDs) of a single all-face-down oriented self-assembled monolayer (SAM) film of CQWs that collectively enable a supreme level of IP TDMs at 92% in the ensemble emission are shown. This significantly enhances the outcoupling efficiency from 22% (of standard randomly-oriented emitters) to 34% (of face-down oriented emitters) in the LED. As a result, the external quantum efficiency reaches a record high level of 18.1% for the solution-processed type of CQW-LEDs, putting their efficiency performance on par with the hybrid organic-inorganic evaporation-based CQW-LEDs and all other best solution-processed LEDs. This SAM-CQW-LED architecture allows for a high maximum brightness of 19,800 cd m(-2) with a long operational lifetime of 247 h at 100 cd m(-2) as well as a stable saturated deep-red emission (651 nm) with a low turn-on voltage of 1.7 eV at a current density of 1 mA cm(-2) and a high J(90) of 99.58 mA cm(-2). These findings indicate the effectiveness of oriented self-assembly of CQWs as an electrically-driven emissive layer in improving outcoupling and external quantum efficiencies in the CQW-LEDs.

Automated summary

Solution-processed colloidal quantum well light-emitting diodes (CQW-LEDs) with a single all-face-down oriented self-assembled monolayer (SAM) film of CQWs exhibit improved external quantum efficiency and outcoupling efficiency. The record-high external quantum efficiency of 18.1% and other favorable performance metrics indicate the effectiveness of oriented self-assembly of CQWs in CQW-LEDs.