Warm White Light-emitting Diodes Research Articles

Ce3+-Activated SrLu2Al3ScSiO12 Cyan-Green-Emitting Garnet-Structured Inorganic Phosphor Materials toward Application in Blue-Chip-Based Phosphor-Converted Solid-State White Lighting.

Phosphor-converted white-light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) with superhigh color rendering index (CRI) are the ongoing pursuit of next-generation solid-state lighting. One of the most important challenges is the limited improvement in CRI on account of the absence of a cyan component in the typical commercial combination. Here, a bright broad-band cyan-green-emitting phosphor with cubic garnet structure, SrLu2Al3ScSiO12:Ce3+ (SLASSO:Ce3+), was successfully reported, which can compensate for the absence of cyan cavity in the 480-520 nm blue-green emission region. With 439 nm blue-light irradiation, the as-fabricated SLASSO:Ce3+ phosphor yields a broad-band cyan-green emission with the maximum emission peak positioned at 525 nm and an appropriate full width at half-maximum (fwhm) of 111 nm, capable of providing more cyan emission component without sacrificing green emission. Meanwhile, the optimal SLASSO:2%Ce3+ phosphor features CIE color coordinates of (0.3254, 0.5470) with cyan-green hue, along with a high internal quantum efficiency of up to 93%. Additionally, thermal stability measurements at different temperatures reveal that the luminescence emission intensity of the proposed phosphor retains 44% of its original integral emission intensity at 423 K with respect to room temperature, while also demonstrating an excellent color stability (ΔE = 5.4 × 10-3). This work shows that the highly efficient SLASSO:Ce3+ garnet phosphor can be utilized as a potential cyan-green-emitting phosphor for filling the cyan gap, resulting in the construction of a high-quality warm WLED with high CRI for "human-centric" sunlight-like full-spectrum solid-state illumination.

Multiwavelength Excitation in Ho3+-Doped All-Inorganic Double Perovskites Achieved by Codoping Mn2+ for Warm-White LEDs and Plant Growth.

Doping lanthanide ions is an efficient method to modify the optical properties of lead-free double-perovskite halides. However, most lanthanide-doped double perovskites show a low luminescence efficiency and require a high excitation energy. Here, we have successfully prepared a series of Ho3+-doped Cs2NaBiCl6 microcrystals through a simple hydrothermal method and obtained strong characteristic emissions of Ho3+ at 492 and 657 nm under low-energy excitation (449 nm). After codoping Mn2+, apart from the characteristic emissions from Ho3+ under 450 nm wavelength excitation, the orangish-red luminescence consisting of the emission band centered at 591 nm from Mn2+ and a sharp emission peak at 657 nm from Ho3+ is obtained under 355 nm UV light excitation. Photoluminescence (PL) emission and excitation spectra, along with the PL decay curves, confirm the existence of an energy-transfer channel from Cs2NaBiCl6 to Mn2+ and then from Mn2+ to Ho3+. The enhanced absorption efficiency (10.5 → 70.7%) suggests that the codoping of Mn2+ overcomes the low absorption efficiency caused by f-f forbidden transitions of Ho3+. Finally, the diverse luminescent performance within the Cs2NaBiCl6:Ho3+, Mn2+ phosphor is realized by altering the excitation wavelength, thereby enabling its application in warm-white-light-emitting diodes and plant growth in this work.

Optical Management of Perovskite Solar Cells by Biomimetic‐Structured Polydimethylsiloxane Films

The application of antireflective (AR) films is a promising optical management strategy to improve the light utilization of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Plumeria petals of different colors are employed as the master mold for the first time to prepare biomimetic AR films. Hierarchical morphologies replicated from the petals have a primary characteristic size in tens of micrometer scale. A strong scattering effect happens when the incident light hits the AR films, leading to a remarkably reduced reflectance with broadband enhancement of the transmission over the entire visible range. With the incorporation of the biomimetic AR film, the highest power conversion efficiency for PSCs reaches 23.56% with a large short‐circuit density (Jsc) of 26.54 mA cm−2, corresponding to an average enhancement of 6.17%. The enhancement effect is verified under 1.5G AM radiation with different tilted angles and warm white LED light source with different light intensities. Furthermore, optical simulations are performed to illustrate the structure–effective relationship. This work offers an interesting experience by learning from nature and provides valuable references for further refining the design of the AR films in micrometer scale.

Bright Blue Emission Lead-Free Halides with Narrow Bandwidth Enabled by Oversaturated Europium Doping.

Eu2+-based lead-free metal halide nanocrystals (LFMH NCs), including CsEuCl3 NCs and CsX:Eu2+ NCs (X = Cl or Br), exhibit highly efficient narrow-band blue photoluminescence, making them competitive candidates for next-generation lighting and displays. However, the growing mechanism of the aforementioned NCs lacks in-depth study, which hinders the development of Eu2+-based nanomaterials. Herein, we demonstrate the colloidal synthesis of CsBr:Eu2+ NCs based on an air-stable europium source. The NCs show deep blue photoluminescence centered at 444 nm, with a maximum photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) reaching 53.4% and a fwhm of 30 nm. We further reveal the mechanism that determines CsBr host growth and Eu2+ doping in CsBr:Eu2+ nanocrystals, especially dopant trapping and self-purification, that determine the PLQY level. Pure white, warm white, and cold white LEDs are fabricated based on CsBr:Eu2+ NCs, red and green phosphors, and their performance suits the needs of high-quality lighting.

Emission enhancement in the luminescence performance of warm red light-emitting LiSrVO4 :Pr3+ phosphors.

Warm red-emitting praseodymium-doped LiSrVO4 phosphors were synthesized via solid-state reaction. The phase formation was verified using an X-ray diffraction study and the morphology was investigated using a scanning electron microscope study. The LiSrVO4 :Pr3+ phosphors emitted red light when exposed to ultraviolet light, indicating their possibility for use in warm white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs). Furthermore, the effect of charge compensators on the luminescence characteristics was addressed. The decay time was investigated using time-resolved photoluminescence. Furthermore, thermal quenching was analyzed through temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectra. Their sensitivity was calculated using temperature-dependent decay time analysis. The colour purity of the emitted light could be measured by photometric analysis. This comprehensive investigation provides a thorough understanding of the luminescence properties of phosphors for WLED applications.

The design and synthesis of 1-phenylimidazo[1,5-a]pyridine – anthracene-based fluorophore for greenish-yellow organic light emitting diode and warm white LED

Solution-processed OLEDs offer a promising and affordable technology for solid-state lighting and superior self-luminous display panels. Herein, an imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine (ImPy)-based fluorophore decorated with an aromatic π-system anthracene is synthesized by a one-pot condensation approach. From the theoretical study, the energy difference between HOMO and LUMO is 3.1 eV. The molecule shows excellent thermal stability and electrochemical stability. It exhibits efficient intramolecular charge transfer and displays a positive solvatochromic photoluminescence emission band ranging from 528 nm in hexane to 586 nm in acetonitrile with large Stokes’ shift of ∼11,000 cm−1. The OLEDs made of this emitter displayed good device performance with luminous efficiency of 4.4 cd A–1, power efficiency of 2.2 lm W–1 and external quantum efficiency of 3.2%. Additionally, this OLED emitted greenish-yellow light with CIE coordinate (0.34, 0.45) and possessed a low turn-on voltage of 7 V. The material also used in white LED fabrication and the fabricated white LED displayed an excellent color rendering index (CRI), the luminous efficiency of radiation (LER), and correlated color temperatures (CCT) of 89328 lm W–1 , and 4907 K, respectively with CIE coordinate (0.35,0.32).

One-pot synthesis of high-efficiency one-dimensional perovskite phosphor for warm white LEDs

A simple one-pot method was used to synthesize one-dimensional perovskite phosphor, which was characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The material demonstrates excellent photoluminescence properties and can emit warm white light with a color temperature of 4710 K and a color rendering index of 84.6. The simple one-pot method makes it easy to synthesize the perovskite phosphor, positioning it as a promising candidate for the production of warm white LEDs. This work provides a detailed analysis of the material's crystal structure and photoluminescence properties.

Nutrient Solution Application of a Calcium-mobilizing Biostimulant Mitigates Tipburn without Decreasing Biomass of Greenhouse Hydroponic Lettuce

Lettuce tipburn is a physiological disorder characterized by marginal necrosis and curling of inner, younger leaves caused by localized calcium deficiency, especially in low evapotranspiration environments that restrict mass flow and thus calcium mobility. Severe tipburn negatively affects the marketability and quality of greenhouse-grown hydroponic lettuce. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of a chemical-based, calcium-mobilizing biostimulant for mitigating lettuce tipburn when applied in hydroponic nutrient solutions. Butterhead lettuce (Lactuca sativa ‘Rex’) was grown indoors under warm-white light-emitting diodes at a mean photosynthetic photon flux density of 300 μmol⋅m−2⋅s−1 for 11 days. Subsequently, we transplanted seedlings into deep-water-culture hydroponic trays in a greenhouse at an air temperature of 24.6 ± 1.2 °C, relative humidity of 76.2% ± 7.4%, and 20-hour photoperiod with supplemental lighting from high-pressure sodium lamps. The plants were grown in nutrient solutions with and without the biostimulant codenamed CC US-2105 at two concentrations (22 and 220 μL⋅L−1). Data were collected from plant samples at three harvests at 14, 21, and 28 days after transplant (DAT). At 14 DAT, there was no tipburn under any treatments. Compared with the control, the biostimulant at 22 μL⋅L−1 increased shoot dry mass by 31%. At 21 DAT, the biostimulant at 220 μL⋅L−1 eliminated tipburn, and the biostimulant increased shoot fresh weight by 28%, irrespective of the concentration. At 28 DAT, despite sufficient calcium in the whole plant and the remaining nutrient solution, severe tipburn still occurred in plants that did not receive the biostimulant (control). Compared with the control, the biostimulant at the higher concentration of 220 μL⋅L−1 decreased the tipburn rating by 88% and the number of leaves with tipburn by 85%, increased the plant diameter by 11%, increased the total leaf number by six, and accumulated higher levels of manganese and zinc. In contrast, these parameters remained unaffected at the lower biostimulant concentration of 22 μL⋅L−1. At 28 DAT, shoot biomass was unaffected by the biostimulant. In conclusion, the calcium-mobilizing biostimulant is an effective strategy to mitigate hydroponic lettuce tipburn without decreasing biomass accumulation in greenhouse conditions.

An efficient rare-earth free deep red-emitting GdGeSbO6:Mn4+ phosphor for white light-emitting diodes.

Red phosphors play an important role in improving the light quality and color rendering index of white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) for lighting. In this paper, we report the transition ion Mn4+-activated deep red phosphor GdGeSbO6:x%Mn4+ and analyze its crystal structure, composition and luminescence behavior in detail. Its optimal doping concentration of Mn4+ is 0.3%. Under ultraviolet (UV) excitation, GdGeSbO6:0.3%Mn4+ produces a narrow emission peak centred at 682 nm in the range of 650-800 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 25 nm, which is attributed to the spin-prohibited 2Eg → 4A2g transition of Mn4+ ions. Notably, the optimal phosphor GdGeSbO6:0.3%Mn4+ has a high internal quantum efficiency (IQE ≈ 65%) and excellent thermal stability performance (I423 K/I303 K ≈ 62%). The synthesis of high-performance warm WLEDs and full-spectrum WLEDs was achieved by combining and coating GdGeSbO6:0.3%Mn4+ phosphors with commercial phosphors on the surface of a 365 nm UV chip.

Unveiling the luminescence property of Li2MgGeO4:Mn4+ featuring the tetrahedral crystallographic-site occupancy of Mn4.

Owing to the occupying tendency of Mn4+ at octahedral sites, doping Mn4+ activators in tetrahedral structures poses challenges and hence is seldom reported. In this work, tetrahedrally sited Mn4+ phosphors were studied. By combining X-ray diffraction (XRD) data with Rietveld refinement analysis, the location of Mn4+ was determined. It was found that by adding excessive raw MgO, the phosphor synthesis temperature can be improved, enhancing the crystallinity of the crystal and thus improving the emission performance of the phosphor. In addition, excessive raw MgO forms a second phase in an LMGO matrix, which does not change the doping site for Mn4+. The Tanabe-Sugano diagram of Mn4+ in the tetrahedral field and the energy-level diagram of these phosphors were constructed for the first time, and the excitation and emission mechanisms are discussed in detail. With 1.2-fold excess of raw MgO, the prepared sample (LMGO-Mn-1.2) shows the best luminescence, demonstrating red emissions peaked at 656 nm and affording an emission intensity enhancement of over 50 times compared to a stoichiometric LMGO:Mn4+ system. At 150 °C, LMGO-Mn-1.2 keeps 90% emission intensity compared to that at room temperature. Finally, a high-efficiency warm white light-emitting diode was built. This work provides new insights into the study of Mn4+-activated phosphors in a tetrahedron crystal field.

Thermally stable double perovskite Ca2YTaO6: Tb3+, Eu3+ phosphor for warm white LEDs

Thermally stable double perovskite Ca2YTaO6: Tb3+, Eu3+ phosphor for warm white LEDs

Fluorescence properties of novel deep-red phosphor LiMg4SbO7:Mn4+ with excellent quantum efficiency and color purity for warm white LEDs.

Red fluorescent materials have important application value in the background light and LED lighting fields of displays. In this work, a novel type of rare earth free deep-red phosphor LiMg4SbO7:Mn4+ was prepared successfully, and its crystal structure, microstructure, fluorescence spectrum, quantum yield, thermal stability, fluorescence lifetime, color coordinates and color purity were studied in detail. The excitation spectra of LiMg4SbO7:Mn4+ phosphors are located at 200-600 nm, which can be matched with ultraviolet, near-ultraviolet, and blue-light chips. The exciting result is that the LiMg4SbO7:0.002Mn4+ phosphor exhibits astonishing quantum efficiency, thermal stability and color purity. Finally, the developed LiMg4SbO7:Mn4+ and the yellow phosphor Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ (YAG:Ce3+) were mixed and coated on a blue light chip (460 nm) to produce a w-LED, which exhibited warm white luminescence with color coordinates of (0.3575, 0.3809), correlated colour temperature (CCT) of 4687 K, and color rendering index (CRI) of 83.6. It is reasonable to consider that LiMg4SbO7:Mn4+ phosphors with excellent photoluminescence performance have great application value in LED lighting fields.

Highly efficient and thermally stable broadband green-emitting BaY2Sc2Al2SiO12:Ce3+ phosphors enabling warm-white LEDs with high luminous efficacy and high color rendering index

A broadband green-emitting BaY2Sc2Al2SiO12:Ce3+ garnet phosphor enables warm-white LEDs with high Ra of 93.3 and high LE of 105.3 lm W−1.

Correction: Highly efficient and thermally stable broadband green-emitting BaY2Sc2Al2SiO12:Ce3+ phosphors enabling warm-white LEDs with high luminous efficacy and high color rendering index

Correction for ‘Highly efficient and thermally stable broadband green-emitting BaY2Sc2Al2SiO12:Ce3+ phosphors enabling warm-white LEDs with high luminous efficacy and high color rendering index’ by Xiaoyuan Chen et al., J. Mater. Chem. C, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1039/d4tc02906b.

Assessment of light-emitting diodes for sampling phlebotomines (Diptera: Psychodidae) from an urban park of the Brazilian Amazon.

The present study aimed to assess different light sources for sampling phlebotomines (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Bosque Rodrigues Alves, a forested park surrounded by the urban area of Belém in the Brazilian Amazon. Centers for Disease Control traps, baited with blue, green, and warm white light-emitting diodes (LEDs), as test group, and incandescent light, as control group, were used. The electromagnetic spectra and luminous intensities of the light sources were characterized. Fractional vegetation cover at each sampling site was also estimated. Abundance, richness, rarefaction curves, Shannon and Simpson diversity indices, phlebotomines/trap/hour, and phlebotomines/trap/night were estimated and compared. The light sources of the test group presented greater luminous intensity than the control, but were similar to each other. There were no differences in vegetation cover at each site. A total of 1,346 phlebotomines comprising 11 species were sampled. The most abundant species were as follows: Nyssomyia antunesi (Coutinho, 1939), Trichophoromyia ubiquitalis (Mangabeira, 1942), Bichromomyia flaviscutellata (Mangabeira, 1942), and Th. brachipyga (Mangabeira, 1942). Light traps with LEDs had richness, abundance, and Shannon diversity indices similar to those obtained with incandescent light. The warm white LED had a higher Simpson's index than the other light sources. Phlebotomine responses to incandescent light were similar to those to LEDs in most analyses, confirming the applicability of these light sources as alternative devices for entomological surveillance. Low consumption ensures greater autonomy of the traps, providing better operability during fieldwork.

High efficiency warm-white light-emitting diodes based on copper–iodide clusters

High efficiency warm-white light-emitting diodes based on copper–iodide clusters

Dual emission quaternary alloyed quantum dots for white light-emitting diodes with high color-rendering index

We report the synthesis of manganese doped Ag–Zn–In–S(AZIS)/ZnS QDs for the facile fabrication of white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs). By controlling the ratio of Mn/(Zn + In), dual emission Mn:AZIS/ZnS QDs with different relative proportion of host emission and Mn2+-related emission were prepared. With proper doping, the emission of Mn: AZIS/ZnS QDs covers most of the visible spectrum. Based on the as prepared Mn:AZIS/ZnS QDs, a warm WLED device exhibited a highest color rendering index (CRI) of 92.5 companied by a correlated color temperature (CCT) of 3162 K. With the increasing of Mn2+ concentration, the corresponding WLED devices shown warmer CCT values and lower luminous efficiencies (LEs). The color-conversion efficiency of the QDs decreasing with the increasing of Mn2+ concentration may be responsible partly for the variation of device LEs. With further deep investigation on the mechanism of color-conversion between the exciting light and QDs, and the energy transfer from the host material to the manganese dopant, WLEDs based on the dual emission Mn:AZIS/ZnS QDs with better device performances are excepted to find diverse application in lighting fields.

Spectroscopic properties and thermal stability of a Mn4+-doped polyfluoride phosphor for application in solid-state lighting

In this study, an efficient polyfluoride red-emitting phosphor, Cs3RbGe2F12:Mn4+ (denoted as CRGF:Mn), has been synthesized using a simple co-precipitation method. The crystal and electronic structures, spectroscopic properties, and photoluminescence thermal stability of CRGF:Mn have been systematically characterized. The results show that Mn4+ ions experience a strong crystal field and present a series of intense red emission peaks under blue light excitation. Moreover, CRGF:Mn exhibits a high color purity (95.1 %), high internal quantum efficiency (82.4 %), and enhanced photoluminescence thermal stability at 150 °C, with an intensity of 113 % relative to room temperature. A warm white light-emitting diode exhibiting a low correlated color temperature (3572 K), high color rendering index (90.7), and suitable luminous efficiency (132.6 lm/W) was prepared using CRGF:Mn as a red component, demonstrating viable application in solid-state lighting.

Application of chelation effect in improving the triple properties of K2SiF6Mn4+ phosphors through composite modification

Mn4+-doped fluoride phosphors are limited by their poor moisture resistance in practical applications of white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs). Herein, a new red light-emitting phosphor KSF:MnK2SiF6:Mn4+ was synthesized based on a novel strategy combining surface treatment with hexamethylene tetramine (HMTA) and coating with a matrix, hereafter referred to as P-KSF:Mn. Given the formation of the coordination bond between N and Mn4+ and the strong hydrogen bond between N and F in the shell after the protonation of HMTA, a dense and firm shell of rare Mn4+ formed on the sample surface. P-KSF:Mn showed strong emission, waterproof property and luminescent thermal stability, and its fluorescence intensity was 1.81 times that of KSF:Mn. After soaking in water for 90 d, the fluorescence intensity of P-KSF:Mn was 90.7 % of the initial value. The integrated fluorescence intensity at 200 °C was approximately 416 % of the initial value at 25 °C. The strong luminous thermal stability was supported by strong negative thermal quenching (NTQ), which is explained by the phonon induction mechanism. The WLED prototype assembled with P-KSF:Mn emitted warm white light with correlated color temperature (CCT) = 3112 K, color rendering index (CRI) = 90.7, and luminous efficiency (LE) = 119 lm/W. The results show that P-KSF:Mn is a potential candidate for applications in the field of warm WLEDs.

Multi-color tunable emission of Bi3+,Eu3+ co-doped Ca3LiZnV3O12 phosphors for warm white light-emitting diodes

Bi3+,Eu3+ co-doped Ca3LiZnV3O12 (CLZV) phosphors were manufactured by conventional high-temperature solid-state reaction technique to explore their application for solid-state lighting. Their crystal structure, luminescent properties, energy transfer processes and quantum efficiency were investigated in detailed. CLZV host can be efficiently excited by 345 nm near-ultraviolet light and exhibit self-activating blue emission. When Bi3+ ions are introduced into CLZV, VO43− and Bi3+ can be co-excited by 345 nm light. Benefiting from energy transfer from VO43− to Eu3+ and Bi3+ to Eu3+, multi-color tuning emission from green to yellow can be observed in CLZV:Bi3+,Eu3+ phosphors. Warm white emission was achieved in CLZV:0.015Bi3+,0.01Eu3+ and CLZV:0.015Bi3+,0.02Eu3+ phosphors. Importantly, their internal quantum efficiencies are 35.2 % and 39.6 %, respectively. Our results indicate that CLZV: Bi3+,Eu3+ phosphors might be promising candidates for white light emitting diodes under ultraviolet excitation.