Fluorescent Silicon Nanoparticles Utilized As Stable Color Converters For White Light-emitting Diodes

Small-sized(2.5-5 nm) fluorescent silicon nanoparticles(Si NPs) are being intensively studied and explored for various optic applications to take advantages of their relatively strong fluorescence and favorable biocompatibility. In this study, by employing fluorescent Si NPs as a new class of color converters, we introduce a type of small-sized(~3.7 nm) Si NPs-based color converters for white light-emitting diodes(LEDs). The Si NPs with tunable fluorescent color ranging from blue to yellow-green could be achieved through an optimized microwave synthetic method. Fluorescent Si NPs with tunable luminescent color, whose maximum emission wavelengths(λemission) range from 460 to 545 nm. Of particular significance, the Si NPs exhibiting broadband yellow-green emission prepared at p H value of 4 are demonstrated to be suitable for forming the basis of a white spectrum, which are thus further employed as color converter for the construction of white LED. The resultant LED devices exhibit a luminous efficiency(LE) of 13 lm W-1, CIE chromaticity coordinates of(0.3041, 0.3129), CRI of 82, and correlated color temperature(CCT) of 7982 K.