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A research team led by the School of Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed full-color fiber-based light-emitting diodes using perovskite quantum wires (PeQWs), paving the way for innovative wearable lighting and display devices.
Fiber light-emitting diodes (Fi-LEDs) are a key component in the field of flexible LEDs due to their compatibility with textile manufacturing and excellent spatial luminance uniformity. Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have emerged as promising luminescent materials for next-generation LEDs due to their superior optoelectronic properties. Despite the potential, the fabrication of MHP-based Fi-LEDs faces challenges such as uneven coating caused by gravity and surface tension, inferior crystallization, and complex electrode deposition processes, all of which result in uneven and inefficient light emission.
To address these issues, the research team led by Prof. FAN Zhiyong, Chair of the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Chemical and Biological Engineering at HKUST, employed a novel approach using porous aluminum membranes (PAM) on thin aluminum fibers. The PAM with an ultra-small pore size of about 5 nm was fabricated on aluminum fibers using a roll-to-roll solution coating process. The MHP precursor solution was filled into the PAM channels, followed by a surrounding annealing process to ensure spatially uniform solvent evaporation and MHP crystallization. This method enables the uniform growth of PeQW arrays and minimizes the formation of unwanted thin film structures on the PAM surface.
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The research team successfully demonstrated the fabrication of full-color Fi-LEDs with emission peaks at 625 nm (red), 512 nm (green), and 490 nm (sky blue). The fabricated fibers showed good flexibility and stretchability, making them suitable for textile lighting applications. Various 2D and 3D architectures were presented, including a 2D full-color chain “I ♥ HKUST,” all with excellent fluorescence uniformity. Additionally, a “night scene” of Victoria Harbor was created using PeQWs with halide gradient-induced color transitions, highlighting the versatility and aesthetic potential of Fi-LEDs.
This work represents a significant advance in the field of Fi-LEDs. Future developments could focus on improving the efficiency and stability of Fi-LEDs, exploring new perovskite compositions for a wider range of emission colors, and integrating these devices into commercial textile products.
“The combination of quantum confinement effect and passivation by the three-dimensional porous aluminum membrane structure has enabled us to achieve outstanding photoluminescence and electroluminescence efficiency. Our innovative approach to fiber LEDs opens new possibilities for the fabrication of unconventional 3D-structured light sources and paves the way for advanced wearable display technologies,” said Prof. Fan.
Reference: Ren B, Zhang D, Qiu X, et al. Full-color fiber light-emitting diodes based on perovskite quantum wires. Scientific progress. 2024;10(20):eadn1095. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adn1095
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