Journal of Materiomics

Journal of Materiomics

Volume 7, Issue 2, March 2021, Pages 264-270
Journal of Materiomics

Tuning electroluminescence performance in Pr-doped piezoelectric bulk ceramics and composites

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmat.2020.10.005Get rights and content
Under a Creative Commons license
open access

Highlights

  • First report of tuning EL color in rare earth-doped perovskite piezoelectric material (bulk ceramics and composites).

  • Further clearing up mechanism of EL emissions (piezoelectrically induced-hot electrons mode or charge detrapping mode).

  • Realizing a facile strategy of EL device fabrication process.

Abstract

Alternating current electroluminescence (ACEL) shows great potential in lighting, display and intelligent skin. Herein, the ACEL properties of Pr3+-doped Ba0·85Ca0·15Ti0·90Zr0·10O3 ceramic and its PDMS-based composite have been investigated. Intense red EL emission was obtained in the ceramic sample whereas blue EL emission of Pr3+ was observed for the first time in the composite counterpart. The red EL emission should be attributed to the impact of hot electrons driven by the large piezoelectric electric field. Owing to the cross-relaxations through the 4f5d levels and Pr-to-metal charge transfer state, the 3PJ emissions were completely quenched, and thus leading to an enhancement in red emission. However, external E field induced a large local piezoelectric deformation of the ceramic particles embedded in the PDMS matrix, which in turn caused a bending of CB and then a downwards shift of the 4f5d levels from the CB. Hence the cross-relaxations were hindered, and the blue EL emission was observed in the composites. The results would attract attention of functional materials studies and expand our understanding of such facile structure and oxide EL devices to facilitate their use in integral part of flexible device systems.

Keywords

Electroluminescence
Emission color tuning
Ferroelectric.
Piezoelectric
Doping

Cited by (0)

Hailing Sun obtained BSc and MSc in 2011 and 2014 from Sichuan Normal University, and then received PhD in 2018 from Department of Applied Physics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University under the supervision of Prof. K.W. Kwok. Now she is working at South China Normal University. Her research interests include the coupling between smart piezoelectric materials and tunable luminescence for multi-functional applications, and ambient mechanical energy harvesting.

Manchung Wong received his MSc in 2016 and PhD degrees in 2019 from the Department of Applied Physics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He is now working as research fellow at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His research is related to smart and functional piezoelectric material, ambient mechanical energy harvesting and actuation, and triboelectric generator.

Guofu Zhou completed his dual PhD in materials science at Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1991, and in Physics at University of Amsterdam in 1994, respectively. He is now working as full professor of South China Normal University and the dean of the South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics. His research is related to the field of micro/nano optoelectronic materials, devices and flat panel displays, mainly engaged in research on optoelectronic materials and devices.

K.W. Kwok received his Ph.D. degree from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 1997. Currently, he takes up a full professorship and associate deanship at Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles in The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His research focuses on processing, characterization and applications of ferroelectric materials, electro-optic materials, and photoluminescence materials.

Peer review under responsibility of The Chinese Ceramic Society.