Improving photovoltaic performance of light-responsive double-heterojunction nanorod light-emitting diodes

Double heterojunction nanorods enable both electroluminescence and light harvesting capabilities within the same device structure, providing a promising platform for energy-scavenging displays and related applications. However, the efficiency of the photovoltaic mode remains modest for useful power conversion and may be challenging to improve without sacrificing performance in electroluminescence. Through a facile on-film partial ligand exchange with benzenethiol integrated into the device fabrication step, we achieve an average of more than threefold increase in power conversion efficiency while maintaining the maximum external quantum efficiency and the maximum luminance in the LED mode. The improved photovoltaic performance is mainly due to the increase in the short circuit current, which we attribute to the enhanced charge separation afforded by the partial ligand exchange. The recovery of the photoluminescence lifetime under the forward bias suggests that the hole traps introduced by benzenethiols are filled prior to reaching the voltage at which light emission begins, allowing LED performance to be maintained and possibly improved.