Carbon Nanotube Effects on Electroluminescence and Photovoltaic Response in Conjugated Polymers

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2005 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2152113· OSTI ID:1003579

Xu, Zhihua ^[1]; Wu, Yue ^[1]; Hu, Bin ^[1]; Ivanov, Ilia N ^[1]; Geohegan, David B ^[1]

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1. ORNL

This letter reports the experimental results of enhanced electroluminescence (EL) and photovoltaic (PV) response upon doping single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) into conjugated polymer poly[2-methoxy-5-(2{prime}-ethylhexyloxy)-1, 4-phenylenevinylene] (MEHPPV) based on single-layer light-emitting diodes. We found that the dispersed SWNTs result in two processes: charge transport and exciton dissociation at the tube-chain interface in the SWNT/polymer composites. The detailed EL and PV studies indicate that low SWNT doping concentrations mainly improve the bipolar charge injection, leading to enhanced both reverse and forward EL with reduced threshold voltage. As the SWNT doping concentration continues to increase, the interfacial exciton dissociation becomes dominated, giving rise to an increased PV response. This SWNT concentration-dependent charge transport and exciton dissociation present a pathway to individually address the dual EL and PV functionalities of SWNT-doped polymer composites by controlling the doping level of the SWNTs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1003579
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 87, Issue 26; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
CARBON
CHARGE TRANSPORT
DISSOCIATION
ELECTROLUMINESCENCE
EXCITONS
NANOTUBES
POLYMERS