Many different photovoltaic technologies are being developed for large-scale solar energy conversion. The wafer-based first-generation photovoltaic devices have been followed by thin-film solid semiconductor absorber layers sandwiched between two charge-selective contacts and nanostructured (or mesostructured) solar cells that rely on a distributed heterojunction to generate charge and to transport positive and negative charges in spatially separated phases. Although many materials have been used in nanostructured devices, the goal of attaining high-efficiency thin-film solar cells in such a way has yet to be achieved. Organometal halide perovskites have recently emerged as a promising material for high-efficiency nanostructured devices. Here we show that nanostructuring is not necessary to achieve high efficiencies with this material: a simple planar heterojunction solar cell incorporating vapour-deposited perovskite as the absorbing layer can have solar-to-electrical power conversion efficiencies of over 15 per cent (as measured under simulated full sunlight). This demonstrates that perovskite absorbers can function at the highest efficiencies in simplified device architectures, without the need for complex nanostructures.

Efficient planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells by vapour deposition

The development of white organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) holds great promise for the production of highly efficient large-area light sources. High internal quantum efficiencies for the conversion of electrical energy to light have been realized. Nevertheless, the overall device power efficiencies are still considerably below the 60-70 lumens per watt of fluorescent tubes, which is the current benchmark for novel light sources. Although some reports about highly power-efficient white OLEDs exist, details about structure and the measurement conditions of these structures have not been fully disclosed: the highest power efficiency reported in the scientific literature is 44 lm W(-1) (ref. 7). Here we report an improved OLED structure which reaches fluorescent tube efficiency. By combining a carefully chosen emitter layer with high-refractive-index substrates, and using a periodic outcoupling structure, we achieve a device power efficiency of 90 lm W(-1) at 1,000 candelas per square metre. This efficiency has the potential to be raised to 124 lm W(-1) if the light outcoupling can be further improved. Besides approaching internal quantum efficiency values of one, we have also focused on reducing energetic and ohmic losses that occur during electron-photon conversion. We anticipate that our results will be a starting point for further research, leading to white OLEDs having efficiencies beyond 100 lm W(-1). This could make white-light OLEDs, with their soft area light and high colour-rendering qualities, the light sources of choice for the future.

White organic light-emitting diodes with fluorescent tube efficiency

羟氨苄青霉素引起大疱性类天疱疮样疹

This Review article summarizes the key advantages of using quantum dots (QDs) as luminophores in light-emitting devices (LEDs) and outlines the operating mechanisms of four types of QD-LED. The key scientific and technological challenges facing QD-LED commercialization are identified, together with on-going strategies to overcome these challenges.

Emergence of colloidal quantum-dot light-emitting technologies

Solution-processed optoelectronic and electronic devices are attractive owing to the potential for low-cost fabrication of large-area devices and the compatibility with lightweight, flexible plastic substrates. Solution-processed light-emitting diodes (LEDs) using conjugated polymers or quantum dots as emitters have attracted great interest over the past two decades. However, the overall performance of solution-processed LEDs--including their efficiency, efficiency roll-off at high current densities, turn-on voltage and lifetime under operational conditions-remains inferior to that of the best vacuum-deposited organic LEDs. Here we report a solution-processed, multilayer quantum-dot-based LED with excellent performance and reproducibility. It exhibits colour-saturated deep-red emission, sub-bandgap turn-on at 1.7 volts, high external quantum efficiencies of up to 20.5 per cent, low efficiency roll-off (up to 15.1 per cent of the external quantum efficiency at 100 mA cm(-2)), and a long operational lifetime of more than 100,000 hours at 100 cd m(-2), making this device the best-performing solution-processed red LED so far, comparable to state-of-the-art vacuum-deposited organic LEDs. This optoelectronic performance is achieved by inserting an insulating layer between the quantum dot layer and the oxide electron-transport layer to optimize charge balance in the device and preserve the superior emissive properties of the quantum dots. We anticipate that our results will be a starting point for further research, leading to high-performance, all-solution-processed quantum-dot-based LEDs ideal for next-generation display and solid-state lighting technologies.

Solution-processed, high-performance light-emitting diodes based on quantum dots

White organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are highly efficient large-area light sources that may play an important role in solving the global energy crisis, while also opening novel design possibilities in general lighting applications. Usually, highly efficient white OLEDs are designed by combining three phosphorescent emitters for the colors blue, green, and red. However, this procedure is not ideal as it is difficult to find sufficiently stable blue phosphorescent emitters. Here, a novel approach to meet the demanding power efficiency and device stability requirements is discussed: a triplet harvesting concept for hybrid white OLED, which combines a blue fluorophor with red and green phosphors and is capable of reaching an internal quantum efficiency of 100% if a suitable blue emitter with high-lying triplet transition is used is introduced. Additionally, this concept paves the way towards an extremely simple white OLED design, using only a single emitter layer.

Triplet Harvesting in Hybrid White Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

Harvesting Triplet Excitons from Fluorescent Blue Emitters in White Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

White organic LEDs are seen as one of the next generation light-sources, with their potential to reach internal efficiencies of unity and their unique appearance as large-area and ultrathin devices. However, to replace existing lighting technologies, they have to be at least on par with the state-of-the-art. In terms of efficiency, the fluorescent tube with 60-70 lumen per Watt (lm W-1) in a fixture is the current benchmark. In the scientific literature, so far only values of 44 lm W-1 have been published for white OLEDs. Here, we present results (Reineke et al., Nature 459, 234 (2009)) of white OLEDs with 90 lm W-1 at an illumination relevant brightness of 1,000 candela per square meter (cd m-2). Extracting all light from the glass substrate using a 3D light extraction system, we even obtain 124 lm W-1. In order to achieve such high efficacy values, we reduced the energetic losses prior to photon emission that include ohmic and thermal relaxation losses, leading to very low operating voltages. This is accomplished by the use of doped transport layers and a novel, very energy efficient emission layer concept. Equally important, we addressed the optics of the OLED architecture, because about 80% of the generated light remains trapped in conventional devices. Therefore, we used high refractive index substrates to couple out more light and placed the emission to the second field antinode to avoid plasmonic losses. Our devices are also characterized by an outstandingly high efficiency at high brightness, reaching 74 lm W-1 at 5,000 cd m-2.

White Organic Light-Emitting Diodes with Fluorescent Tube Efficiency

White organic light emitting diodes combining the phosphorescent green and orange-red emitting systems fac tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium doped 4,4′,4″-tris(N-carbazolyl)-triphenylamine (TCTA) and iridium(III)bis(2-methyldibenzo-[f,h]quinoxaline)(acetylacetonate) doped N,N′-di(naphthalen-1-yl)-N,N′-diphenyl-benzidine with the blue fluorescent dye 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis(2,2-diphenylvinyl)spiro-9,9′-bifluorene (Spiro-DPVBi) are presented. By introducing a thin layer of coevaporated TCTA and 2,2′,2″ (1,3,5-benzenetriyl) tris-[1-phenyl-1H-benzimidazole] between the phosphorescent and the fluorescent region, both singlet and triplet excitons are confined efficiently, whereas charge carriers still pass easily this interlayer. Furthermore, the interlayer suppresses Dexter transfer of the phosphorescent excitons to the nonradiative triplet state of Spiro-DPVBi. Best devices reach a current efficiency of 16.3cd∕A at 100cd∕m2 and a color rendering index of 85 at warm white CIE chromaticity coordinates of (0.47, 0.42). Due to the use of electrically doped charge transport layers, 100cd∕m2 are obtained at 2.95V with a power efficiency of 17.4lm∕W.

Gregor Schwartz

Papers

White organic light-emitting diodes with fluorescent tube efficiency

Triplet Harvesting in Hybrid White Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

Harvesting Triplet Excitons from Fluorescent Blue Emitters in White Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

White Organic Light-Emitting Diodes with Fluorescent Tube Efficiency

Highly efficient white organic light emitting diodes comprising an interlayer to separate fluorescent and phosphorescent regions