Nanostructured Channel for Improving Emission Efficiency of Hybrid Light-Emitting Field-Effect Transistors

Galán-González, Alejandro; Pander, Piotr; MacKenzie, Roderick C. I.; Bowen, Leon; Zeze, Dagou A.; Borthwick, Robert J.; Thompson, Richard L.; Dias, Fernando B.; Chaudhry, Mujeeb Ullah

Abstract

We report on the mechanism of enhancing the luminance and external quantum efficiency (EQE) by developing nanostructured channels in hybrid (organic/inorganic) light-emitting transistors (HLETs) that combine a solution-processed oxide and a polymer heterostructure. The heterostructure comprised two parts: (i) the zinc tin oxide/zinc oxide (ZTO/ZnO), with and without ZnO nanowires (NWs) grown on the top of the ZTO/ZnO stack, as the charge transport layer and (ii) a polymer Super Yellow (SY, also known as PDY-132) layer as the light-emitting layer. Device characterization shows that using NWs significantly improves luminance and EQE (≈1.1% @ 5000 cd m–2) compared to previously reported similar HLET devices that show EQE < 1%. The size and shape of the NWs were controlled through solution concentration and growth time, which also render NWs to have higher crystallinity. Notably, the size of the NWs was found to provide higher escape efficiency for emitted photons while offering lower contact resistance for charge injection, which resulted in the improved optical performance of HLETs. These results represent a significant step forward in enabling efficient and all-solution-processed HLET technology for lighting and display applications.

Citation

Galán-González, A., Pander, P., MacKenzie, R. C. I., Bowen, L., Zeze, D. A., Borthwick, R. J., …Chaudhry, M. U. (2023). Nanostructured Channel for Improving Emission Efficiency of Hybrid Light-Emitting Field-Effect Transistors. ACS Photonics, 10(12), 4315-4321. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsphotonics.3c01080

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 22, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Dec 10, 2023
• Publication Date: Dec 20, 2023
• Deposit Date: Jan 5, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 5, 2024
• Journal: ACS Photonics
• Publisher: American Chemical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 12
• Pages: 4315-4321
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsphotonics.3c01080
• Keywords: contact resistance, light outcoupling, light-emitting transistors, ZnO, nanowires
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2049753