Lead Performer: Nanosys Inc. – Milpitas, CA
Partner: University of California – Merced
DOE Total Funding: $2,000,001
Project Term: April 1, 2020 – December 31, 2023
Funding Type: SSL R&D Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) (DE-FOA-0002090)
Project Objective
Down-converting emitters on LEDs absorb higher energy light, typically blue or near-ultraviolet, and re-emit the light at lower-energy wavelengths. The combination of multiple color wavelengths produces white light. Efficient down-converters are necessary to achieve high-efficiency, high-color-quality white. Quantum dots (QDs) are efficient emitters that have the potential to significantly improve the efficiency of LEDs. But they must operate in an environment that produces high light flux and temperature up to 150°C. There has been some investigation in QDs for this purpose; however, it has focused on QDs containing cadmium, which is a toxic and regulated material. This project will focus on development of heavy-metal-free QDs for use on LEDs. The project will leverage the QD-synthesis expertise of Nanosys, the leading supplier of QDs to the display industry, and the QD-characterization expertise of the University of California – Merced, to improve the light-emission performance of QDs in the LED environment.
Project Impact
The key deliverables in the project will be to characterize the state-of-the-art heavy-metal-free QDs from structural and photophysical perspectives and use this information to determine the best approaches to improve materials under LED operating conditions of light flux (1 W/mm2) and temperature (150°C). Structural attributes that improve these performance parameters and increase lifetime under these conditions will be prioritized. The goal for lifetime increase is 100-fold. The ultimate goal of the project is to create QD materials that do not contain toxic elements and operate on an LED without degradation for the lifetime of the LED.
Contacts
DOE Technology Manager: Wyatt Merrill
Lead Performer: Charlie Hotz, Nanosys Inc.