Silver nanoparticle-induced enhancement of light extraction in two-dimensional light-emitting diodes

Abstract

Monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) with direct bandgaps are considered promising candidates for building light-emitting diodes (LEDs). One crucial indicator of their performance is the brightness of electroluminescence (EL). In this study, we fabricate WS2-based LEDs that make full use of the assistance of effective transient-mode charge injection. By introducing self-assembled silver nanoparticles (NPs) on top of the LED, the extraction efficiency is significantly improved, with a 2.9-fold EL enhancement observed in the experiment. Full-wave simulations further confirm that the improvement comes from the scattering capability of silver NPs, with results qualitatively fitting the experiment. This approach, with its compatibility with van der Waals heterostructures, can be further promoted to enhance the brightness of 2D monolayer TMDC-based LEDs.