Dual functions of alternating current electroluminescent device for light emission and humidity detection

Abstract

Abstract Alternating current electroluminescent (AC-EL) device can be considered as a potential candidate for next generation of multifunctional light-emitting sources. In this work, we present a new design of AC-EL device with inclusion of a silver oxide humidity-sensing layer instead of an insulating buffer layer for humidity detection. The ZnS:Cu, Cl and ZnS:Ag+(Zn,Cd)S:Ag phosphors were used as an emissive layer prepared by screen printing method. The silver oxide (AgO/Ag2O) nanoparticles synthesized via a green method were employed as a humidity sensing layer. The developed AC-EL devices exhibited high response, good productivity, high stability, high repeatability and linear relationship with humidity in range of 10%–90% RH as well as no significant effects with several VOCs/gases such as NH3, CO2, acetone, methanol, toluene and propan at room temperature. The effects of parameters such as excitation frequency, applied voltage, and waveforms on the luminance intensity are discussed. The development of the present AC-EL device offers a simplified architecture to enable sensing functions of the AC-EL device via monitoring of light emission changing.