Carbon passivation in solid-state light emitters
US7679102B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 21, 2006 |
| Grant date | Mar 16, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 16, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10H20/818
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A solid state light emitting device comprises one or more active layers comprising semiconductor nano-particles in a host matrix, e.g. silicon nano-particles in silicon dioxide or silicon nitride. The incorporation of carbon in the active layers provides a great improvement in performance through shortened decay time and enhance emission spectra, as well as reliability and lifetime. The emission wavelengths from the nano-particles can be made to correspond to the quantization energy of the semiconductor nano-particles, which allows the entire visible range of the spectrum be covered. Ideally an engineered structure of alternating active and buffer material layers are disposed between AC or DC electrodes, which generate an electric field. The buffer layers are comprised of a wide bandgap semiconductor or dielectric material, and are designed with a thickness, in the direction of an applied electric field, that ensures that electrons passing therethrough picks up enough energy to excite the nano-particles in the adjacent active layer at a sufficient excitation energy to emit light efficiently at a desired wavelength.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.