Color-switchable electroluminescence of carbon dot light-emitting diodes

Carbon-dot based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with driving current controlled color change are reported. These devices consist of a carbon-dot emissive layer sandwiched between an organic hole transport layer and an organic or inorganic electron transport layer fabricated by a solution-based process. By tuning the device structure and the injecting current density (by changing the applied voltage), we can obtain multicolor emission of blue, cyan, magenta, and white from the same carbon dots. Such a switchable EL behavior with white emission has not been observed thus far in single emitting layer structured nanomaterial LEDs. This interesting current density-dependent emission is useful for the development of colorful LEDs. The pure blue and white emissions are obtained by tuning the electron transport layer materials and the thickness of electrode. © 2013 American Chemical Society.