The continuing development of consumer electronics, mobile communications and advanced computing technologies has led to a rapid growth in data traffic, creating challenges for the communications industry. Light-emitting diode (LED)-based communication links are of potential use in both free space and optical interconnect applications, and LEDs based on emerging semiconductor materials, which can offer tunable optoelectronics properties and solution-processable manufacturing, are of particular interest in the development of next-generation data communications. Here we review the development of emerging LED materials—organic semiconductors, colloidal quantum dots and metal halide perovskites—for use in optical communications. We examine efforts to improve the modulation performance and device efficiency of these LEDs, and consider potential applications in on-chip interconnects and light fidelity (Li-Fi). We also explore the challenges that exist in developing practical high-speed LED-based data communication systems.

消费电子、移动通信和先进计算技术的持续发展导致数据流量的快速增长，给通信行业带来了挑战。基于发光二极管 (LED) 的通信链路在自由空间和光互连应用中都有潜在用途，而基于新兴半导体材料的 LED 可提供可调光电子特性和可溶液加工制造，在下一代数据通信的发展。在这里，我们回顾了用于光通信的新兴 LED 材料——有机半导体、胶体量子点和金属卤化物钙钛矿——的发展。我们研究了提高这些 LED 的调制性能和器件效率的努力，并考虑在片上互连和光保真 (Li-Fi) 方面的潜在应用。我们还探讨了开发实用的基于 LED 的高速数据通信系统中存在的挑战。