Optical materials, optical components, devices, and methods

• US 9,466,757 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2011
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: QD Vision, Inc. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Modi, Rohit, Landreman, Patrick, Linton, John R., Squires, Emily M.
• Primary Examiner(s): YAMNITZKY, MARIE ROSE
• Application Number:
  US13/283,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20120189791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/02 Use of particular materials as binders, particle coatings or suspension media therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/883 with zinc or cadmium
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/206 comprising particles embedded in a solid matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/207 comprising semiconducting materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/005 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/105 with a resonant cavity structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/22 Roughened surfaces, e.g. at the interface between epitaxial layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/774 Exhibiting three-dimensional carrier confinement, e.g. quantum dots
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/901 having step or means utilizing electromagnetic property, e.g. optical, x-ray, electron beamm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/95 Electromagnetic energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1317 Multilayer [continuous layer]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles

Abstract

An optical component including an optical material comprising quantum confined semiconductor nanoparticles, wherein the optical material has a solid state photoluminescent efficiency greater than or equal to 60%. Devices including optical materials and/or optical components and methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An optical component including an optical material comprising light-emitting quantum confined semiconductor nanoparticles having a solution quantum yield of at least 70% prior to addition to the optical material, the quantum confined semiconductor nanoparticles being distributed in a solid light transmissive host material, the optical material having been exposed to light flux for a period of time sufficient to achieve a solid state photoluminescent efficiency of the optical material greater than or equal to about 70% when excited at a wavelength of 450 nm, the solid state photoluminescent efficiency being greater than or equal to the solution quantum yield of the nanoparticles prior to addition to the optical material.

2. An optical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the optical material has solid state photoluminescent quantum efficiency greater than or equal to 80%.

3. An optical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the optical material has solid state photoluminescent quantum efficiency greater than or equal to 90%.

4. An optical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the optical material comprises up to about 30 weight percent quantum confined semiconductor nanoparticles based on the weight of the host material.

5. An optical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the optical material further comprises light scatterers.

6. An optical component in accordance with claim 5 wherein the optical material comprises an amount of light scatterers in a range from 0.01 weight percent based on the weight of the host material up to an amount that is the same as the amount of quantum confined semiconductor nanoparticles included in the optical material.

7. An optical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the optical material is at least partially encapsulated when exposed to the light flux.

8. An optical component in accordance with claim 7 wherein the optical material is at least partially encapsulated by barrier material that is oxygen impervious.

9. An optical component in accordance with claim 7 wherein the optical material is at least partially encapsulated by one or more barrier materials that are water impervious.

10. An optical component in accordance with claim 7 wherein the optical material is at least partially encapsulated by barrier material that is oxygen and water impervious.

11. An optical component in accordance with claim 7 wherein the optical material is at least partially encapsulated between opposing substrates.

12. An optical component in accordance with claim 11 wherein at least one of the substrates comprises barrier material that is oxygen and water impervious.

13. An optical component in accordance with claim 7 wherein the optical material is fully encapsulated after exposure to the light flux.

14. An optical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the optical material is fully encapsulated when exposed to the light flux.

15. An optical component in accordance with claim 14 wherein the optical material is fully encapsulated by one or more barrier materials that are oxygen impervious.

16. An optical component in accordance with claim 14 wherein the optical material is fully encapsulated between opposing substrates that are sealed together by a seal, wherein each of the substrates and seal are oxygen impervious.

17. An optical component in accordance with claim 14 wherein the optical material is encapsulated between opposing substrates that are sealed together by a seal, wherein each of the substrates and seal are oxygen and water impervious.

18. An optical component in accordance with claim 14 wherein the optical material is encapsulated between glass plates that are sealed together by a barrier material.

19. An optical component in accordance with claim 14 wherein the optical material is encapsulated between glass plates that are sealed together by a glass-to-glass perimeter or edge seal.

20. An optical component in accordance with claim 14 wherein the optical material is encapsulated between glass plates that are sealed together by a glass-to-metal perimeter or edge seal.

21. An optical component in accordance with claim 14 wherein the optical material is disposed on a substrate and the optical material is covered by a coating comprising a barrier material.

22. An optical component in accordance with claim 21 wherein the barrier material comprises a material that is oxygen impervious.

23. An optical component in accordance with claim 21 wherein the barrier material comprises a material that is water impervious.

24. An optical component in accordance with claim 21 wherein the barrier material comprises a material that is oxygen and water impervious.

25. An optical component in accordance with claim 14 wherein the optical material is at least partially encapsulated by glass.

26. A device including an optical component in accordance with claim 1.

27. An optical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the light flux comprises a peak wavelength in a range from about 365 nm to about 480 nm.

28. An optical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the light flux comprises a peak wavelength in a range from about 450 nm to about 470 nm.

29. An optical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the light flux is from about 10 to about 100 mW/cm².

30. An optical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the quantum confined semiconductor nanoparticles comprise semiconductor nanocrystals.

31. An optical component in accordance with claim 30 wherein the semiconductor nanocrystals include a core comprising a first semiconductor material and a shell on at least a portion of the outer surface of the core, the shell comprising one or more layers, wherein each layer may comprise a semiconductor material that is the same or different from that included in each of any other layer.

32. An optical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a polymer.

33. An optical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a resin.

34. An optical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a silicone.

35. An optical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the host material comprises a glass.