Scientists have made a breakthrough in illumination using silicon quantum dot-based white-blue LED.

A research team created a Si quantum dot (QD)-based hybrid inorganic/organic light-emitting diode (LED) that emits white-blue electroluminescence, Hiroshima University reported.  The hybrid LED is expected to provide flexible lighting and displays, and it was developed through a simple method. Almost all of the processes used in the development were solution-based and conducted at ambient temperature and pressure. In the process, the team deposited conductive polymer solutions and a colloidal Si QD solution onto a glass substrate.

The optical and power densities of the LED are respectively, 280 and 350 times higher than what has been seen in previous devices of the same voltage. Its active area is also 40 times larger than current commercial LEDs. The thickness of the LED is 0.5 millimeters.

"QD LED has attracted significant attention as a next-generation LED. Although several breakthroughs will be required for achieving implementation, a QD-based hybrid LED allows us to give so fruitful feature that we cannot imagine," said Professor Ken-ichi Saitow, of the Natural Science Center for Basic Research and Development at Hiroshima University.

The paper, titled "White-blue electroluminescence from a Si quantum dot hybrid light-emitting diode," was published in a recent edition of the journal Applied Physics Letters.