Solid-state infrared-to-visible upconversion sensitized by colloidal nanocrystals

Wu, Mengfei; Congreve, Daniel N.; Wilson, Mark W.  B.; Jean, Joel; Geva, Nadav; Welborn, Matthew; Van Voorhis, Troy; Bulović, Vladimir; Bawendi, Moungi G.; Baldo, Marc A.

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2015.226

Solid-state infrared-to-visible upconversion sensitized by colloidal nanocrystals

Journal Article · Mon Nov 23 04:00:00 EST 2015 · Nature Photonics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2015.226· OSTI ID:1387500

; Congreve, Daniel N.; ; ; Geva, Nadav; Welborn, Matthew; Van Voorhis, Troy; Bulović, Vladimir; Bawendi, Moungi G.; Baldo, Marc A.

Optical upconversion via sensitized triplet–triplet exciton annihilation converts incoherent low-energy photons to shorter wavelengths under modest excitation intensities1,2,3. Here, we report a solid-state thin film for infrared-to-visible upconversion that employs lead sulphide colloidal nanocrystals as a sensitizer. Upconversion is achieved from pump wavelengths beyond λ = 1 μm to emission at λ = 612 nm. When excited at λ = 808 nm, two excitons in the sensitizer are converted to one higher-energy state in the emitter at a yield of 1.2 ± 0.2%. Peak efficiency is attained at an absorbed intensity equivalent to less than one sun. We demonstrate that colloidal nanocrystals are an attractive alternative to existing molecular sensitizers, given their small exchange splitting, wide wavelength tunability, broadband infrared absorption, and our transient observations of efficient energy transfer. This solid-state architecture for upconversion may prove useful for enhancing the capabilities of solar cells and photodetectors.

Research Organization:: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Excitonics (CE)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE SC Office of Basic Energy Sciences (SC-22)

DOE Contract Number:: SC0001088

OSTI ID:: 1387500

Journal Information:: Nature Photonics, Journal Name: Nature Photonics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 10; ISSN 1749-4885

Publisher:: Nature Publishing Group

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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photosynthesis (natural and artificial)
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Solid-state infrared-to-visible upconversion sensitized by colloidal nanocrystals

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