New type of semiconductor nanocrystal overcomes “dark” exciton
The date of:
2024-08-26
viewed:
0
Newly discovered semiconductor nanocrystals could be used to develop highly efficient light-emitting devices and lasers.The nanocrystals are described in a new paper published in the American Chemical Society journal ACS Nano.Nanocrystals are often used in devices such as lasers or light-emitting diodes (LEDs). These are mainstays of modern technology, so finding more efficient ways of producing these semiconductor elements would mark a major advance in technology development.One challenge in nanocrystals is the so-called “dark” exciton.Excitons are essential in semiconductors. They are formed by a negatively charged electron pairing with a positively charged hole (absence of an electron) in the material because an electron has been “excited” out of the crystal structure through gaining more energy – usually from a photon.The lowest energy, or ground-state excitons in nanocrystals are bad at emitting light, hence the name dark exciton. Dark excitons act like a speed bump, slowing down the emission of light and limiting the performance of nanocrystal-based devices.“We set out to find new materials in which the exciton ordering is inverted, so that the lowest-energy exciton is bright,” says co-author of the new study John Lyons, a researcher at the US Naval Research Laboratory.The team first identified 150 target materials for further testing based on theoretical models. Calculations reduced the cohort of possible materials with the desired effects to 28.More detailed modelling showed at least 4 of the materials can yield bright ground-state excitons. The materials can emit light from infrared to ultraviolet.The discovery, Lyons says, “could pave the way for the development of ultrabright and highly efficient light-emitting devices, lasers, and other technologies”.
Hot News
/
Related to recommend
2024
-
12
-
20
Click on the number of times:
0
source: University of LiverpoolThe University of Liverpool has reported a significant advancement in engineering biology and clean energy. A team of researchers has developed an innovative light-drive...
2024
-
12
-
19
Click on the number of times:
0
source:SMALL CAPSAxel REE (ASX: AXL) has identified significant gallium mineralisation following a review of auger and diamond drill samples collected from the ongoing Phase One campaign at its flagsh...
2024
-
12
-
18
Click on the number of times:
2
source:Helmholtz Association of German Research CentresAnodes for the electrolytic splitting of water are usually iridium-based materials. In order to increase the stability of the iridium catalyst, a...
2024
-
12
-
17
Click on the number of times:
1
source:University of CaliforniaScientists at the University of California, Irvine have uncovered the atomic-scale mechanics that enhance superconductivity in an iron-based material, a finding publishe...