journal article·2026-03Open access

Overcoming Exciton Quenching at the ZnMgO/InP Quantum Dot Interface for Stable LEDs

Rui Zhu, Jun Wang, Hui Li, Ruyi Luo, Junsheng Tan, Ning Guo, Jianpeng Ma, Wen Wen, Yuchen Wu, Lei Jiang, Jiangang Feng

Small· Volume 22· Issue 13

Abstract

ABSTRACT Cadmium‐free indium phosphide (InP) quantum dots (QDs) are promising emitters for environmentally benign next‐generation light‐emitting diodes (LEDs), yet their application is hindered by poor operational stability. This limitation arises from electron trapping and exciton quenching at the InP/ZnMgO interface, where delocalized electrons from InP QDs are readily captured by oxygen vacancies (O V ) in ZnMgO. Here, we demonstrate highly stable InP‐based QD‐LEDs by rationally passivating ZnMgO with organic fluoride ions (F − ). The strong binding affinity of F − effectively passivates O V sites and suppresses ion migration under electrical injections, thereby lowering defect density and mitigating nonradiative recombination at the interface. As a result, we achieve red InP QD‐LEDs with a peak external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 25.35% and a maximum luminance of 137 464 cd m −2 . Remarkably, the T 95 operational lifetime at 1000 cd m −2 extends to 1504 h. Furthermore, InP QDs exhibit excellent compatibility with the micro‐LED configuration, maintaining an EQE of 23.29% at a micropixel size of 2 µm. These results highlight a viable pathway toward efficient, stable, and environmentally benign InP‐based micro‐LEDs for next‐generation near‐eye displays.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Quantum Dots Synthesis And Properties · GaN-based semiconductor devices and materials · ZnO doping and properties

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Applied Chemistry School of Chemistry and Materials Science University of Science and Technology of China Hefei P. R. China

State Key Laboratory of Bioinspired Interfacial Materials Science Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research University of Science and Technology of China Suzhou P. R. China

Department of Optical Science and Engineering School of Information Science and Technology Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Photonic Structures Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Intelligent Optoelectronics and Perception and Shanghai Ultra‐Precision Optical Manufacturing Engineering Research Center Fudan University Shanghai P. R. China

Key Laboratory of Bio‐inspired Materials and Interfacial Science Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing P. R. China

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China · National Natural Science Foundation of China · China Postdoctoral Science Foundation

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