Antennas that turn insulators into LEDs deliver ultra-pure near-infrared light

Cambridge researchers attach organic molecules as molecular antennas to lanthanide-doped nanoparticles, enabling electrical powering of previously insulating materials to create LnLEDs that emit ultra-pure near-infrared light. The antennas funnel charges into the nanoparticles via a triplet-energy transfer, achieving over 98% energy transfer efficiency and low spectral width at about 5 volts. First devices show external quantum efficiency above 0.6%, with strong potential for medical imaging, deep-tissue sensing, and high-capacity optical communications, thanks to customizable organic–inorganic combinations and the ability to tailor emission properties.