D. L. Smith

Proposal for strained type II superlattice infrared detectors

We show that strained type II superlattices made of InAs‐Ga1−xInxSb x∼0.4 have favorable optical properties for infrared detection. By adjusting the layer thicknesses and the alloy composition, a wide range of wavelengths can be reached. Optical absorption calculations for a case where λc∼10 μm show that near threshold the absorption is as good as for the HgCdTe alloy with the same band gap. The electron effective mass is nearly isotropic and equal to 0.04 m. This effective mass should give favorable electrical properties, such as small diode tunneling currents and good mobilities and diffusion lengths.

Energy-transfer pumping of semiconductor nanocrystals using an epitaxial quantum well

As a result of quantum-confinement effects, the emission colour of semiconductor nanocrystals can be modified dramatically by simply changing their size. Such spectral tunability, together with large photoluminescence quantum yields and high photostability, make nanocrystals attractive for use in a variety of light-emitting technologies—for example, displays, fluorescence tagging, solid-state lighting and lasers. An important limitation for such applications, however, is the difficulty of achieving electrical pumping, largely due to the presence of an insulating organic capping layer on the nanocrystals. Here, we describe an approach for indirect injection of electron–hole pairs (the electron–hole radiative recombination gives rise to light emission) into nanocrystals by non-contact, non-radiative energy transfer from a proximal quantum well that can in principle be pumped either electrically or optically. Our theoretical and experimental results indicate that this transfer is fast enough to compete with electron–hole recombination in the quantum well, and results in greater than 50 per cent energy-transfer efficiencies in the tested structures. Furthermore, the measured energy-transfer rates are sufficiently large to provide pumping in the stimulated emission regime, indicating the feasibility of nanocrystal-based optical amplifiers and lasers based on this approach.

Controlling charge injection in organic electronic devices using self-assembled monolayers

We demonstrate control and improvement of charge injection in organic electronic devices by utilizing self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to manipulate the Schottky energy barrier between a metal electrode and the organic electronic material. Hole injection from Cu electrodes into the electroluminescent conjugated polymer poly[2-methoxy,5-(2′-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] was varied by using two conjugated-thiol based SAMs. The chemically modified electrodes were incorporated in organic diode structures and changes in the metal/polymer Schottky energy barriers and current–voltage characteristics were measured. Decreasing (increasing) the Schottky energy barrier improves (degrades) charge injection into the polymer.

Device model for single carrier organic diodes

We present a unified device model for single layer organic light emitting diodes (LEDs) which includes charge injection, transport, and space charge effects in the organic material. The model can describe both injection limited and space charge limited current flow and the transition between them. We specifically considered cases in which the energy barrier to injection of electrons is much larger than that for holes so that holes dominate the current flow in the device. Charge injection into the organic material occurs by thermionic emission and by tunneling. For Schottky energy barriers less than about 0.3–0.4 eV, for typical organic LED device parameters, the current flow is space charge limited and the electric field in the structure is highly nonuniform. For larger energy barriers the current flow is injection limited. In the injection limited regime, the net injected charge is relatively small, the electric field is nearly uniform, and space charge effects are not important. At smaller bias in the i...

Morphology Effectively Controls Singlet-Triplet Exciton Relaxation and Charge Transport in Organic Semiconductors

We present a comparative study of ultrafast photoconversion dynamics in tetracene (Tc) and pentacene (Pc) single crystals and Pc films using optical pump-probe spectroscopy. Photoinduced absorption in Tc and Pc crystals is activated and temperature-independent, respectively, demonstrating dominant singlet-triplet exciton fission. In Pc films (as well as C60-doped films) this decay channel is suppressed by electron trapping. These results demonstrate the central role of crystallinity and purity in photogeneration processes and will constrain the design of future photovoltaic devices.

Piezoelectric effects in strained‐layer superlattices

Because zinc‐blende structure semiconductors are piezoelectric, polarization fields can be generated in the constituent materials of strained‐layer superlattices by lattice‐mismatch‐induced strain. The orientation of the polarization fields depends on the superlattice growth axis. Because one of the constituent layers of the superlattice is in biaxial tension and the other is in biaxial compression, the sign of the polarization field is opposite in the two constituent layers making up the superlattice period. Thus, sheets of divergence of polarization occur at the interface for a longitudinal induced polarization and sheets of curl of polarization occur at the interface for a transverse induced polarization. For a [111] growth axis, the induced polarization is purely longitudinal; for a [110] growth axis, the induced polarization is purely transverse. For a general growth axis the induced polarization has both longitudinal and transverse components. The sheets of divergence of polarization generate intern...

Consistent time-of-flight mobility measurements and polymer light-emitting diode current-voltage characteristics

We present time-of-flight mobility measurements and measured and calculated current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of structures fabricated using a soluble poly(p-phenylene vinylene) derivative. Time-of-flight measurements were used to determine the electric field dependent hole mobility. This mobility was then used, without adjustable parameters, to calculate the I–V characteristics of space-charge-limited, hole only devices. The measured and calculated I–V characteristics are in good agreement over five orders of magnitude in current. These results demonstrate that an electric field dependent mobility, without invoking trapping effects, provides an accurate description of hole transport in this polymer.

Optical determination of chain orientation in electroluminescent polymer films

We report polarized optical transmission and reflection measurements which are used to determine the orientation of polymer chains in spin‐cast thin films of soluble, electroluminescent polymers. We find that the polymer chains lie primarily in the plane of the film. This result has three important implications for polymer light emitting diodes: the electroluminescence is preferentially emitted propagating perpendicular to the polymer film; the relevant dielectric and electrical transport properties are those perpendicular to the polymer chains; and large area, uniform devices can be produced by spin casting.

Device model investigation of bilayer organic light emitting diodes

Organic materials that have desirable luminescence properties, such as a favorable emission spectrum and high luminescence efficiency, are not necessarily suitable for single layer organic light-emitting diodes (LEDs) because the material may have unequal carrier mobilities or contact limited injection properties. As a result, single layer LEDs made from such organic materials are inefficient. In this article, we present device model calculations of single layer and bilayer organic LED characteristics that demonstrate the improvements in device performance that can occur in bilayer devices. We first consider an organic material where the mobilities of the electrons and holes are significantly different. The role of the bilayer structure in this case is to move the recombination away from the electrode that injects the low mobility carrier. We then consider an organic material with equal electron and hole mobilities but where it is not possible to make a good contact for one carrier type, say electrons. Th...

Photoluminescence spectra of oligo-paraphenylenevinylenes: a joint theoretical and experimental characterization

Abstract We present a joint theoretical and experimental characterization of the absorption and photoluminescence spectra of oligo-paraphenylenevinylenes containing from 2 to 5 phenylene rings. Attention is paid to the emission spectra and their vibronic progressions in order to shed light on the geometry relaxation phenomena in the lowest singlet excited state. The results indicate that the relaxation energy in the excited state increases with inverse chain length. For long conjugated chains, the relaxation energy of the bound electron-hole pair is extrapolated to be of the order of 0.14 eV and the most significant part of the geometry deformations are found to spread over a length of about 20A.