High performance tandem perovskite LEDs through interlayer photon recycling

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High performance tandem perovskite LEDs through interlayer photon recycling

Summary

The authors report a high-performance tandem perovskite LED made by vertically stacking two solution-processed perovskite light-emitting units. The tandem device effectively combines the luminance of each unit and benefits from interlayer photon recycling — a consequence of perovskites’ small Stokes shifts — which boosts light extraction from trapped modes. Key performance figures include a low turn-on voltage of 3.2 V, a peak external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 45.5% (about 20% higher than the summed peak EQEs of comparable single-unit devices), an average peak EQE of 40.9%, and a half-lifetime (T50) of 64 hours at an initial radiance of 70 W sr−1 m−2. The work demonstrates a viable route to efficient, stable and potentially multicolour perovskite LEDs via tandem stacking and photon recycling.

Key Points

  • Tandem structure: two solution-processed perovskite LED units stacked in series to combine luminance and drive voltage efficiently.
  • Interlayer photon recycling: small Stokes shift in perovskites enables reabsorption and re-emission between layers, improving light extraction from trapped modes.
  • Outstanding metrics: turn-on voltage 3.2 V; peak EQE 45.5% (≈20% higher than sum of single-unit peak EQEs); average peak EQE 40.9%.
  • Operational stability: half-lifetime (T50) of 64 h at initial radiance 70 W sr−1 m−2 — substantial for perovskite LEDs, though further improvement is needed for commercial deployment.
  • Manufacturing note: devices are solution-processed, which supports potentially scalable fabrication routes for tandem perovskite LEDs.

Context and relevance

This study tackles two major challenges for perovskite LEDs: improving external quantum efficiency and combining multiple emissive units without losing output or stability. By demonstrating that photon recycling between stacked perovskite layers can both merge and enhance luminance, the work points to a practical strategy for brighter, more efficient multi-unit devices. The approach is especially relevant to researchers and engineers working on next-generation displays, solid-state lighting and integrated photonic sources where compact high-brightness emitters are needed.

Why should I read this?

Short version: if you care about brighter, lower-voltage perovskite LEDs that don’t just stack up but actually get better when stacked — read this. The paper shows a clever, experimentally validated trick (interlayer photon recycling) that gives a real boost to EQE and keeps devices reasonably stable. It’s a neat shortcut if you’re into making multicolour or high-performance emitters without reinventing the whole device stack.

Caveats

This is an early-access manuscript (unedited preview) from Nature; it may still be edited before final publication and could contain errors. Performance is promising but lifetime (T50) still needs improvement for many commercial applications.

Source

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09865-4

Article meta

Authors: You Ke, Wei Zhu, Chao Ma, et al. — State Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics & affiliated institutes. Published: 11 November 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09865-4