Light emitting device with electron auxiliary layer including metal oxide nanoparticles, method of manufacturing the device, and a display device

1. A light emitting device, comprising

a first electrode and a second electrode, each having a surface opposite the other,

a light emitting layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the light emitting layer comprises quantum dots, and

an electron auxiliary layer disposed between the light emitting layer and the second electrode,

wherein the electron auxiliary layer comprises metal oxide nanoparticles including an anion of an organic acid bound to a surface of the metal oxide nanoparticle, and the anion of the organic acid comprises citrate ion, acetate ion, oxalate ion, sulfonate ion, or a combination thereof.

2. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the anion of the organic acid is chemically bonded with a metal ion at a surface of the metal oxide nanoparticles, or provides a bonded product of the metal ion and oxygen or a hydroxyl group, or a combination thereof.

3. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the anion of the organic acid is present on a surface of the metal oxide nanoparticles in an amount of about 0.001 weight percent to about 10 weight percent based on a total weight of the metal oxide nanoparticles in the electron auxiliary layer.

4. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the electron auxiliary layer has a mole ratio of carbon atoms to all metal atoms of the metal oxide nanoparticles of less than or equal to about 1.3:1.

5. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein a content of a basic material in the metal oxide nanoparticles is less than or equal to about 2 weight percent based on a total weight of the metal oxide nanoparticles in the electron auxiliary layer.

6. The light emitting device of claim 5 , wherein the basic material is present, and comprises tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, or a combination thereof.

7. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the electron auxiliary layer has an electrical conductivity of greater than about 6.5×10 −8 siemens per centimeter.

8. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide comprises Zn, Mg, Ca, Zr, W, Li, Ti, Y, Al, or a combination thereof.

9. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide is represented by Chemical Formula 1:

Zn 1-x M x O  Chemical Formula 1

wherein, in Chemical Formula 1,

M is Mg, Ca, Zr, W, Li, Ti, Y, Al, or a combination thereof, and

0≤x≤0.5.

10. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide comprises zinc oxide, zinc magnesium oxide, or a combination thereof.

11. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide nanoparticles have an average particle size of greater than or equal to about 1 nanometer and less than or equal to about 100 nanometer.

12. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the light emitting device further comprises a hole auxiliary layer including a hole injecting layer, a hole transporting layer, an electron blocking layer, or a combination thereof, disposed between the first electrode and the light emitting layer.

13. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the light emitting device has a maximum external quantum efficiency of greater than or equal to about 10%, and a luminance of greater than or equal to about 50,000 nit.

14. A method of manufacturing a light emitting device of claim 1 , comprising

forming the electron auxiliary layer including the metal oxide nanoparticles; and

contacting the electron auxiliary layer with the organic acid or a solution including the organic acid.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the contacting of the electron auxiliary layer with the organic acid or the solution including the organic acid comprises coating the electron auxiliary layer with the organic acid or the solution including the organic acid, or dipping the electron auxiliary layer in the organic acid or in the solution including the organic acid.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the coating comprises spin coating, bar coating, spray coating, slit coating, ink jet printing, nozzle printing, spraying, or doctor blade coating.

17. A display device comprising the light emitting device of claim 1 .

18. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the anion of the organic acid is citrate ion, and the metal oxide nanoparticles are represented by Chemical Formula 1:

Zn 1-x M x O  Chemical Formula 1

wherein M is Mg, Ca, Zr, W, Li, Ti, Y, Al, or a combination thereof, and

0≤x≤0.5,

wherein the electron auxiliary layer has an electrical conductivity of greater than about 6.5×10 −8 siemens per centimeter.

19. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the anion of the organic acid is acetate ion, and the metal oxide nanoparticles are represented by Chemical Formula 1:

Zn 1-x M x O  Chemical Formula 1

wherein M is Mg, Ca, Zr, W, Li, Ti, Y, Al, or a combination thereof, and

0≤x≤0.5,

wherein the electron auxiliary layer has an electrical conductivity of greater than about 6.5×10 −8 siemens per centimeter.

20. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the anion of the organic acid is oxalate ion, and the metal oxide nanoparticles are represented by Chemical Formula 1:

Zn 1-x M x O  Chemical Formula 1

wherein M is Mg, Ca, Zr, W, Li, Ti, Y, Al, or a combination thereof, and

0≤x≤0.5,

wherein the electron auxiliary layer has an electrical conductivity of greater than about 6.5×10 −8 siemens per centimeter.