Quantum dot white and colored light-emitting devices
First Claim
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1. A device comprising:
- a primary light source; and
a population of photoluminescent quantum dots (QDs) disposed in a host matrix, wherein;
each QD of the population comprises a core of an independently selected size and composition, and the population comprises a selected size distribution of QDs;
at least a portion of the QDs have a band gap energy smaller than the energy of at least a portion of the light produced by the light source; and
the matrix is in optical communication with the light source and is disposed so as to allow the light to pass therethrough, thereby causing the QDs to photoluminesce light of a color characteristic of the size, size distribution, composition, or combination thereof, wherein the matrix allows both light from the light source and photoluminesced light to pass therethrough.
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Abstract
A light-emitting device comprising a population of quantum dots (QDs) embedded in a host matrix and a primary light source which causes the QDs to emit secondary light and method of making such a device. The size distribution of the QDs is chosen to allow light of a particular color to be emitted therefrom. The light emitted from the device may be of either a pure (monochromatic) color, or a mixed (polychromatic) color, and may consist solely of light emitted from the QDs themselves, or of a mixture of light emitted from the QDs and light emitted from the primary source. The QDs desirably are composed of an undoped semiconductor such as CdSe, and may optionally be overcoated to increase photoluminescence.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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a primary light source; and
a population of photoluminescent quantum dots (QDs) disposed in a host matrix, wherein;
each QD of the population comprises a core of an independently selected size and composition, and the population comprises a selected size distribution of QDs;
at least a portion of the QDs have a band gap energy smaller than the energy of at least a portion of the light produced by the light source; and
the matrix is in optical communication with the light source and is disposed so as to allow the light to pass therethrough, thereby causing the QDs to photoluminesce light of a color characteristic of the size, size distribution, composition, or combination thereof, wherein the matrix allows both light from the light source and photoluminesced light to pass therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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- 15. A composition comprising a population of quantum dots (QDs) dispersed without substantial flocculation in a host matrix, wherein each QD of the population comprises a core of an independently selected size and composition and the population comprises a selected size distribution of QDs, and further wherein the QDs are selected to photoluminesce light when QDs in the host matrix are irradiated with light from a primary source whose energy is greater than the energy of at least a portion of the photoluminesced light.
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24. A prepolymer composition, comprising:
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a precursor material capable of being reacted to form a solid host matrix that allows light to pass therethrough; and
a population of quantum dots (QDs) dispersed in the precursor material without substantial flocculation, wherein each QD of the population comprises a core of an independently selected size and composition, and the population comprises a selected size distribution of QDs. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of producing light of a selected color, comprising:
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(a) providing a population of quantum dots (QDs), wherein each QD of the population comprises a core of an independently selected size and composition, the population comprises a selected size distribution of QDs, and the QDs have a surface adapted to allow the QDs to be dispersed in a host matrix;
(b) dispersing the QDs in the host matrix without substantial flocculation; and
(c) illuminating the QDs disposed in the host matrix with primary light of an energy greater than the characteristic band gap energy of at least a portion of the QDs, whereby the selected color is photoluminescent light emitted by the QDs, light transmitted from the primary light source through the host matrix or a combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
(i) providing a precursor material having QDs disposed therein; - and
(ii) reacting the precursor material to form a solid host matrix having QDs disposed therein.
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43. The method of claim 33, wherein the host matrix comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of polymers, epoxies, silica glasses, and silica gels.
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44. The method of claim 33, wherein the host matrix comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylate, polystyrene, polyimide, polyacrylamide, polyethylene, polyvinyl, poly-diacetylene, polyphenylene-vinylene, polypeptide, polysaccharide, polysulfone, polypyrrole, polyimidazole, polythiophene, polyether, epoxies, silica glass, silica gel, siloxane, polyphosphate, hydrogel, agarose, and cellulose.
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45. A method of producing light of a selected color, comprising:
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(a) providing a population of quantum dots (ODs), wherein each OD of the population comprises a core of an independently selected size and composition, the population comprises a selected size distribution of ODs, and the ODs have a surface adapted to allow the ODs to be dispersed in a host matrix;
(b) dispersing the ODs in the host matrix; and
(c) illuminating the ODs disposed in the host matrix with primary light of an energy greater than the characteristic band gap energy of at least a portion of the ODs, whereby the selected color is photoluminescent light emitted by the ODs, light transmitted from the Primary light source through the host matrix or a combination thereof;
and wherein the host matrix allows light produced by the light source and photoluminescent light emitted by the QDs to pass therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method of producing light of a selected color, comprising:
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(a) providing a population of guantum dots (ODs), wherein each OD of the population comprises a core of an independently selected size and composition, the population comprises a selected size distribution of ODs, and the ODs have a surface adapted to allow the ODs to be dispersed in a host matrix;
(b) dispersing the ODs in the host matrix; and
(c) illuminating the ODs disposed in the host matrix with primary light of an energy greater than the characteristic band gap energy of at least a portion of the ODs. wherein the light of the selected color is the combination of photoluminescent light emitted by the QDs and light transmitted from the primary light source through the host matrix.
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51. A method of producing light of a selected color, comprising:
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(a) providing a population of quantum dots (ODs), wherein each OD of the population comprises a core of an independently selected size and composition, the population comprises a selected size distribution of ODs, and the ODs have a surface adapted to allow the ODs to be dispersed in a host matrix;
(b) dispersing the ODs in the host matrix; and
(c) illuminating the ODs disposed in the host matrix with primary light of an energy greater than the characteristic band gap energy of at least a portion of the ODs, whereby the selected color is photoluminescent light emitted by the ODs, light transmitted from the primary light source through the host matrix or a combination thereof;
and wherein step (a) comprises, (i) providing at least two precursor materials, wherein each precursor material has disposed therein a population of QDs having a size, size distribution, composition or combination thereof, selected to be different from that of the population of QDs in any of the other precursor materials, (ii) combining the precursor materials, and (iii) reacting the precursor materials to form a solid host matrix having QDs disposed therein. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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54. A method of producing light of a selected color, comprising:
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(a) providing a population of quantum dots (QDs), wherein each QD of the population comprises a core of an independently selected size and composition, the population comprises a selected size distribution of ODs, and the ODs have a surface adapted to allow the ODs to be dispersed in a host matrix;
(b) dispersing the QDs in the host matrix; and
(c) illuminating the ODs disposed in the host matrix with Primary light of an energy greater than the characteristic band gap energy of at least a portion of the ODs, whereby the selected color is photoluminescent light emitted by the QDs, light transmitted from the primary light source through the host matrix or a combination thereof;
and wherein step (a) comprises, (i) providing at least two precursor materials, wherein each precursor material has disposed therein a population of QDs having a size, size distribution, composition or combination thereof, selected to be different from that of the population of QDs in any of the other precursor materials, (ii) forming a layer of a precursor material;
(iii) reacting the layer of precursor material to form a solid host matrix layer having QDs disposed therein; and
(iv) repeating steps (ii) and (iii) on the solid host matrix layer formed in step (iii). - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
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Specification