A synergistic approach of interface engineering to improve the performance of silicon nanocrystal light-emitting diode

Abstract

A synergistic approach of interface engineering is reported to efficiently improve the performance of silicon nanocrystal light-emitting diode (Si-NC LED). This approach employs electron transport layer (ETL) of n-type gallium-nitride (n-GaN) and hole transport layer (HTL) of alumina (Al2O3) to improve the charge injection and transport during the electroluminescence (EL) excitation, and charge confinement layers (CCLs) of SiO2 and Al2O3 to confine the injected charges within the active layer to improve the radiative recombination. The ETL and HTL introduced in this work were found to be of superior function in enhancing the EL emission of Si–NCs LED, so did the CCLs. The synergistic application of the interface engineering, combined with the optimization of the active layer thickness, yielded an evident increase in the brightness of Si–NCs LED.