Waveguiding of Photoluminescence in a Layer of Semiconductor Nanoparticles
Semiconductor nanoparticles (SNPs), such as quantum dots (QDs) and core/shell nanoparticles, have proven to be promising candidates for the development of next-generation technologies, including light-emitting diodes (LEDs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and solar concentrators. Typically, these ap...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-03-01
|
| Series: | Nanomaterials |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/3/683 |
| _version_ | 1797542061420838912 |
|---|---|
| author | Yera Y. Ussembayev Natalia K. Zawacka Filip Strubbe Zeger Hens Kristiaan Neyts |
| author_facet | Yera Y. Ussembayev Natalia K. Zawacka Filip Strubbe Zeger Hens Kristiaan Neyts |
| author_sort | Yera Y. Ussembayev |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Semiconductor nanoparticles (SNPs), such as quantum dots (QDs) and core/shell nanoparticles, have proven to be promising candidates for the development of next-generation technologies, including light-emitting diodes (LEDs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and solar concentrators. Typically, these applications use a sub-micrometer-thick film of SNPs to realize photoluminescence. However, our current knowledge on how this thin SNP layer affects the optical efficiency remains incomplete. In this work, we demonstrate how the thickness of the photoluminescent layer governs the direction of the emitted light. Our theoretical and experimental results show that the emission is fully outcoupled for sufficiently thin films (monolayer of SNPs), whereas for larger thicknesses (larger than one tenth of the wavelength) an important contribution propagates along the film that acts as a planar waveguide. These findings serve as a guideline for the smart design of diverse QD-based systems, ranging from LEDs, where thinner layers of SNPs maximize the light outcoupling, to luminescent solar concentrators, where a thicker layer of SNPs will boost the efficiency of light concentration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:24:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9203ff22e0f948f7a80d1ab31c0716d5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:24:19Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-9203ff22e0f948f7a80d1ab31c0716d52023-11-21T09:46:52ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912021-03-0111368310.3390/nano11030683Waveguiding of Photoluminescence in a Layer of Semiconductor NanoparticlesYera Y. Ussembayev0Natalia K. Zawacka1Filip Strubbe2Zeger Hens3Kristiaan Neyts4LCP Research Group, Ghent University, Technologiepark 126, 9052 Gent, BelgiumLCP Research Group, Ghent University, Technologiepark 126, 9052 Gent, BelgiumLCP Research Group, Ghent University, Technologiepark 126, 9052 Gent, BelgiumCenter for Nano and Biophotonics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 126, 9052 Gent, BelgiumLCP Research Group, Ghent University, Technologiepark 126, 9052 Gent, BelgiumSemiconductor nanoparticles (SNPs), such as quantum dots (QDs) and core/shell nanoparticles, have proven to be promising candidates for the development of next-generation technologies, including light-emitting diodes (LEDs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and solar concentrators. Typically, these applications use a sub-micrometer-thick film of SNPs to realize photoluminescence. However, our current knowledge on how this thin SNP layer affects the optical efficiency remains incomplete. In this work, we demonstrate how the thickness of the photoluminescent layer governs the direction of the emitted light. Our theoretical and experimental results show that the emission is fully outcoupled for sufficiently thin films (monolayer of SNPs), whereas for larger thicknesses (larger than one tenth of the wavelength) an important contribution propagates along the film that acts as a planar waveguide. These findings serve as a guideline for the smart design of diverse QD-based systems, ranging from LEDs, where thinner layers of SNPs maximize the light outcoupling, to luminescent solar concentrators, where a thicker layer of SNPs will boost the efficiency of light concentration.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/3/683nanoopticsanisotropic emissionlight waveguidingquantum dotsLEDsolar concentrators |
| spellingShingle | Yera Y. Ussembayev Natalia K. Zawacka Filip Strubbe Zeger Hens Kristiaan Neyts Waveguiding of Photoluminescence in a Layer of Semiconductor Nanoparticles Nanomaterials nanooptics anisotropic emission light waveguiding quantum dots LED solar concentrators |
| title | Waveguiding of Photoluminescence in a Layer of Semiconductor Nanoparticles |
| title_full | Waveguiding of Photoluminescence in a Layer of Semiconductor Nanoparticles |
| title_fullStr | Waveguiding of Photoluminescence in a Layer of Semiconductor Nanoparticles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Waveguiding of Photoluminescence in a Layer of Semiconductor Nanoparticles |
| title_short | Waveguiding of Photoluminescence in a Layer of Semiconductor Nanoparticles |
| title_sort | waveguiding of photoluminescence in a layer of semiconductor nanoparticles |
| topic | nanooptics anisotropic emission light waveguiding quantum dots LED solar concentrators |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/3/683 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yerayussembayev waveguidingofphotoluminescenceinalayerofsemiconductornanoparticles AT nataliakzawacka waveguidingofphotoluminescenceinalayerofsemiconductornanoparticles AT filipstrubbe waveguidingofphotoluminescenceinalayerofsemiconductornanoparticles AT zegerhens waveguidingofphotoluminescenceinalayerofsemiconductornanoparticles AT kristiaanneyts waveguidingofphotoluminescenceinalayerofsemiconductornanoparticles |