# US 9,437,835 B2 · Transparent infrared-to-visible up-conversion device

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- Number: US 9,437,835 B2
- Document ID: US9437835B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/124,158
- Filed: 2012-06-06
- Published: 2014-06-26
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2011-06-06
- Assignees: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.; Nanoholdings, LLC
- Applicants: Franky So; Do Young Kim; Bhabendra K. Pradhan
- Inventors: Franky So; Do Young Kim; Bhabendra K. Pradhan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437835B2

## CPC

- H10F 77/496: {Luminescent members, e.g. fluorescent sheets (wavelength conversion means for photovoltaic cells H10F77/45)}
- H10F 77/45: Wavelength conversion means, e.g. by using luminescent material, fluorescent concentrators or up-conversion arrangements
- H10K 65/00: Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one organic light-emitting element and at least one organic radiation-sensitive element, e.g. organic opto-couplers (organic image sensors integrated with organic light-emitting devices H10K39/34; OLED displays integrated with photosensors H10K59/13)
- H10K 30/82: Transparent electrodes, e.g. indium tin oxide [ITO] electrodes
- H10K 50/14: Carrier transporting layers
- H10K 50/15: Hole transporting layers
- H10K 50/18: Carrier blocking layers
- Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a transparent up-conversion device having two transparent electrodes. In embodiments of the invention, the up-conversion device comprises a stack of layers proceeding from a transparent substrate including an anode, a hole blocking layer, an IR sensitizing layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, a cathode, and an antireflective layer. In an embodiment of the invention, the up-conversion device includes an IR pass visible blocking layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A transparent up-conversion device, comprising a stacked layer structure comprising:
a transparent anode;
at least one hole blocking layer;
an IR sensitizing layer;
at least one hole transport layer;
a light emitting layer;
at least one electron transport layer; and
a transparent cathode,
wherein the stacked layer structure has a visible light transmittance of at least 20 percent.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The up-conversion device of claim 1, wherein the stacked layer structure has a thickness of less than a micron.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The up-conversion device of claim 1, wherein the transparent anode or transparent cathode at a surface for entry of incident IR radiation to the stacked layer structure has an IR transmittance of at least 50% and wherein a surface for exit of visible light from the stacked layer structure has a visible light transmittance of at least 50%.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The up-conversion device of claim 1, wherein the transparent anode comprises Indium tin Oxide (ITO), Indium Zinc Oxide (IZO), Aluminum Tin Oxide (ATO), Aluminum Zinc Oxide (AZO), carbon nanotubes, or silver nanowires.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The up-conversion device of claim 1, wherein the at least one hole blocking layer comprises TiO2, ZnO, BCP, Bphen, 3TPYMB, or UGH2.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The up-conversion device of claim 1, wherein the IR sensitizing layer comprises PbSe QDs, PbS QDs, PbSe film, PbS film, InAs film, InGaAs film, Si film, Ge film, GaAs film, perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic-3,4,9,10-dianhydride (PTCDA), tin (II) phthalocyanine (SnPc), SnPc:C60, aluminum phthalocyanine chloride (AlPcCl), AlPcCl:C60, titanyl phthalocyanine (TiOPc), or TiOPc:C60.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The up-conversion device of claim 1, wherein the at least one hole transport layer comprises 1,1-bis[(di-4-tolylamino)phenyl]cyclohexane (TAPC), N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′(2-naphthyl)-(1,1′-phenyl)-4,4′-diamine (NPB), or N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-di(m-tolyl) benzidine (TPD).

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The up-conversion device of claim 1, wherein the light emitting layer comprises tris-(2-phenylpyridine) iridium (Ir(ppy)3), poly-[2-methoxy, 5-(2′-ethyl-hexyloxy) phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV), tris-(8-hydroxy quinoline) aluminum (Alq3), or iridium (III) bis-[(4,6-di-fluorophenyl)-pyridinate-N,C2′]picolinate (FIrpic).

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The up-conversion device of claim 1, wherein the at least one electron transport layer comprises tris[3-(3-pyridyl)-mesityl]borane (3TPYMB), 2,9-Dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (BCP), 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (BPhen), or tris-(8-hydroxy quinoline) aluminum (Alq3).

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The up-conversion device of claim 1, wherein the transparent cathode comprises a 10:1 Mg:Ag layer with a thickness of less than 30 nm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The up-conversion device of claim 1, further comprising an anti-reflective layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The up-conversion device of claim 11, wherein the anti-reflective layer comprises an Alq3 layer having a thickness of less than 200 nm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The up-conversion device of claim 1, further comprising an IR pass visible blocking layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The up-conversion device of claim 13, wherein the IR pass visible blocking layer comprises a plurality of alternating layers of materials having different refractive indexes.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The up-conversion device of claim 14, wherein the materials comprise Ta2O5 and SiO2, wherein the plurality of alternating layers comprises 2 to 80 alternating layers of the materials, and wherein each of the alternating layers has a thickness of 10 to 100 nm.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The up-conversion device of claim 1, wherein the IR sensitizing layer comprises quantum dots.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The up-conversion device of claim 16, wherein the quantum dots comprise PbS quantum dots and/or PbSe quantum dots.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The up-conversion device of claim 1, wherein the IR sensitizing layer generates a charge carrier upon exposure to IR radiation, wherein the charge carrier is injected into the light emitting layer, wherein the charge carrier combines with a complementary charge carrier in the light emitting layer to generate visible light.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The up-conversion device of claim 11, wherein the anti-reflective layer is positioned adjacent the transparent cathode.