Enhanced Performance of Optoelectronic Devices Using Metal Chalcogenide Complex Ligands‐Capped InAs/ZnSe Quantum Dots as Electron Transport Layers

ABSTRACT Electron transport layers (ETLs) play a crucial role in determining the performance of optoelectronic devices by facilitating the smooth flow of electrons. While metal oxide semiconductors like ZnO, TiO 2 , and SnO 2 are commonly used as ETL materials, their charge‐transporting properties require improvement to achieve high device performance. In this study, we propose the utilization of surface‐modified InAs quantum dots (QDs) to overcome the limitations of metal oxide ETLs. This approach involves passivating surface defects of InAs QDs using a thin‐shell coated ZnSe monolayer and replacing the original long‐chain ligands with metal chalcogenide complex ligands. The incorporation of a mixed ETL layer comprising ZnO and surface‐modified InAs QDs resulted in enhanced electron mobility, improved film roughness, and effective bandgap alignment. Furthermore, we demonstrate the practical utilization of InAs QDs as ETLs by fabricating near‐infrared (NIR) organic solar cells (OSCs) and organic photodetectors (OPDs). The performance of InAs QDs‐based optoelectronic devices exhibits significant enhancements, with OSCs achieving a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.05 %, self‐power condition OPDs exhibiting detectivity of 4.00 × 10 13 Jones, and extraction condition OPDs showing detectivity of 1.02 × 10 13 Jones at −0.5 V