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A ZnS/CaZnOS Heterojunction for Efficient Mechanical‐to‐Optical Energy Conversion by Conduction Band Offset
Author(s) -
Peng Dengfeng,
Jiang Yue,
Huang Bolong,
Du Yangyang,
Zhao Jianxiong,
Zhang Xin,
Ma Ronghua,
Golovynskyi Sergii,
Chen Bing,
Wang Feng
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201907747
Subject(s) - mechanoluminescence , materials science , heterojunction , optoelectronics , energy transformation , luminescence , mechanical energy , band offset , doping , nanotechnology , excitation , valence (chemistry) , valence band , band gap , electrical engineering , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics , engineering
Abstract Actively collecting the mechanical energy by efficient conversion to other forms of energy such as light opens a new possibility of energy‐saving, which is of pivotal significance for supplying potential solutions for the present energy crisis. Such energy conversion has shown promising applications in modern sensors, actuators, and energy harvesting. However, the implementation of such technologies is being hindered because most luminescent materials show weak and non‐recoverable emissions under mechanical excitation. Herein, a new class of heterojunctioned ZnS/CaZnOS piezophotonic systems is presented, which displays highly reproducible mechanoluminescence (ML) with an unprecedented intensity of over two times higher than that of the widely used commercial ZnS (the state‐of‐the‐art ML material). Density functional theory calculations reveal that the high‐performance ML originates from efficient charge transfer and recombination through offset of the valence and conduction bands in the heterojunction interface region. By controlling the ZnS‐to‐CaZnOS ratio in conjunction with manganese (Mn 2+ ) and lanthanide (Ln 3+ ) doping, tunable ML across the full spectrum is activated by a small mechanical stimulus of 1 N (10 kPa). The findings demonstrate a novel strategy for constructing efficient ML materials by leveraging interface effects and ultimately promoting practical applications for ML.