Method and apparatus for providing a charge blocking layer on an infrared up-conversion device
Embodiments of the invention are directed to an improved device for sensing infrared (IR) radiation with upconversion to provide an output of electromagnetic radiation having a shorter wavelength than the incident IR radiation, such as visible light. The device comprises an anode, a hole blocking layer to separate an IR sensing layer from the anode, an organic light emitting layer that is separated from the anode by the IR sensing layer, and a cathode. The hole blocking layer assures that when a potential is applied between the anode and the cathode the organic light emitting layer generates electromagnetic radiation only when the IR sensing layer is irradiated with IR radiation.
1. A device for sensing infrared (IR) radiation, comprising:
an anode;
a hole blocking layer;
an IR sensing layer, wherein the IR sensing layer is separated from the anode by the hole blocking layer;
an organic light emitting layer, wherein the organic light emitting layer is separated from the anode by the hole blocking layer and the IR sensing layer; and
a cathode, wherein the cathode is separated from the anode by the hole blocking layer, the IR sensing layer, and the organic light emitting layer, wherein the device is configured to apply a potential between the anode and the cathode such that the anode is at a higher potential than the cathode, wherein when the potential is applied between the anode and the cathode and IR radiation is incident on the IR sensing layer, output electromagnetic radiation is generated in the organic light emitting layer.
2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the hole blocking layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: BCP, UGH2, BPhen, Alq 3 , mCP, C 60 , 3TPYMB, ZnO nanoparticles, and combinations thereof.
3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the organic light emitting layer only generates the output electromagnetic radiation when IR radiation is incident on the IR sensing layer.
4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the anode is transparent and the cathode is transparent.
5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: ITO, IZO, ATO, AZO, and carbon nanotubes.
6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: LiF/Al, Ag, Ca:Mg, LiF/Al/ITO, Ag/ITO, CsCO 3 /ITO, and Ba/Al.
7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the organic light emitting layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: MEH-PPV, Alq 3 , and FIrpic.
8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the IR sensing layer is an organic IR sensing layer.
9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the organic IR sensing layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: SnPc, SnPc:C 60 , AlPcCl, AlPeCl:C 60 , TiOPc, and TiOPc:C 60 .
10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the IR sensing layer is an inorganic IR sensing layer.
11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the inorganic IR sensing layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: PbSe and PbS.
12. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a hole transport layer, wherein the hole transport layer separates the organic light emitting layer from the IR sensing layer.
13. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the hole transport layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: TAPC, NPB, and TPD.
14. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising an electron transport layer, wherein the electron transport layer separates the organic light emitting layer from the cathode.
15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the electron transport layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: 3TPYMB, BCP, BPhen, and Alq 3 .
16. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the output electromagnetic radiation is generated in the organic light emitting layer via electrons injected from the cathode combining with holes injected from the IR sensing layer.
17. The device according to claim 16 , further comprising an electron transport layer, wherein the electron transport layer separates the or organic light emitting layer from the cathode, wherein the electrons injected from the cathode travel through an electron transport layer from the cathode to the light emitting layer.
18. The device according to claim 16 , further comprising a hole transport layer, wherein the hole transport layer separates the organic light emitting layer from the IR sensing layer, wherein the holes injected from the IR sensing layer travel through a hole transport layer from the IR sensing layer to the light emitting layer.
19. The device according to claim 1 , wherein output electromagnetic radiation is not generated until the potential reaches a threshold magnitude.
20. The device according to claim 1 , wherein charge generation between the hole blocking layer and the IR sensing layer is negligible.
21. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the output electromagnetic radiation has an output wavelength that is shorter than an input wavelength of the IR radiation incident on the IR sensing layer.
22. A method of detecting infrared (IR) radiation, comprising:
positioning a device in a region of interest, wherein the device comprises:
an anode;
a hole blocking layer;
an IR sensing layer, wherein the IR sensing layer is separated from the anode by the hole blocking layer;
an organic light emitting layer, wherein the organic light emitting layer is separated from the anode by the hole blocking layer and the IR sensing layer; and a cathode, wherein the cathode is separated from the anode by the hole blocking layer, the IR sensing layer, and the organic light emitting layer, wherein the device is configured to apply a potential between the anode and the cathode such that the anode is at a higher potential than the cathode, wherein when the potential is applied between the anode and the cathode and IR radiation is incident on the IR sensing layer, output electromagnetic radiation is generated in the organic light emitting layer; and
monitoring for the output electromagnetic radiation.
23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the hole blocking layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: BCP, UGH2, BPhen, Alq 3 , mCP, C 60 , 3TPYMB, ZnO nanoparticles, and combinations thereof.
24. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the organic light emitting layer only generates the output electromagnetic radiation when IR radiation is incident on the IR sensing layer.
25. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the anode is transparent and the cathode is transparent.
26. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the anode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: ITO, IZO, ATO, AZO, and carbon nanotubes.
27. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the cathode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: LiF/Al, Ag, Ca:Mg, LiF/Al/ITO, Ag/ITO, CsCO 3 /ITO, and Ba/Al.
28. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the organic light emitting layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: MEH-PPV, Alq 3 , and FIrpic.
29. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the IR sensing layer is an organic IR sensing layer.
30. The method according to claim 29 , wherein the organic IR sensing layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: SnPc, SnPc:C 60 , AlPcCl, AlPcCl:C 60 , TiOPc, and TiOPc:C 60 .
31. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the IR sensing layer is an inorganic IR sensing layer.
32. The method according to claim 31 , wherein the inorganic IR sensing layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: PbSe and PbS.
33. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the device further comprises a hole transport layer, wherein the hole transport layer separates the organic light emitting layer from the IR sensing layer.
34. The method according to claim 33 , wherein the hole transport layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: TAPC, NPB, and TPD.
35. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the device further comprises an electron transport layer, wherein the electron transport layer separates the organic light emitting layer from the cathode.
36. The method of claim 35 , wherein the electron transport layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: 3TPYMB, BCP, BPhen, and Alq 3 .
37. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the output electromagnetic radiation is generated in the organic light emitting layer via electrons injected from the cathode combining with holes injected from the IR sensing layer.
38. The method according to claim 37 , wherein the device further comprises an electron transport layer, wherein the electron transport layer separates the organic light emitting layer from the cathode, wherein the electrons injected from the cathode travel through an electron transport layer from the cathode to the light emitting layer.
39. The method according to claim 37 , wherein the device further comprises a hole transport layer, wherein the hole transport layer separates the organic light emitting layer from the IR sensing layer, wherein the holes injected from the IR sensing layer travel through a hole transport layer from the IR sensing layer to the light emitting layer.
40. The method according to claim 22 , wherein output electromagnetic radiation is not generated until the potential reaches a threshold magnitude.
41. The method according to claim 22 , wherein charge generation between the hole blocking layer and the IR sensing layer is negligible.
42. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the output electromagnetic radiation has an output wavelength that is shorter than an input wavelength of the IR radiation incident on the IR sensing layer.