Synthesis of Tris(Dimethylamino)Phosphine-Based InP Quantum Dots and Their Application in Light-Emitting Diodes: Progress and Perspectives.

Indium phosphide (InP)-based quantum dots (QDs) have emerged as promising cadmium-free alternatives for next-generation optoelectronic applications, particularly in quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs). Tris(dimethylamino)phosphine ((DMA)3P) has gained attention as a low-toxicity alternative to conventional precursors like tris(trimethylsilyl)phosphine ((TMS)3P) or toxic phosphine gas (PH3) in the synthesis of InP QDs. However, InP core/shell QDs synthesized using (DMA)3P and their corresponding QLEDs currently exhibit inferior optical and electronic performance compared to their (TMS)3P-based counterparts. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the molecular structures and distinct reaction mechanisms of (TMS)3P and (DMA)3P during InP core nucleation. Then, we systematically address the key challenges in optimizing (DMA)3P-derived InP QDs, including defect state passivation and carrier confinement, and summarize effective improvement strategies encompassing core modulation, core/shell structure design, and surface ligand engineering. Furthermore, we discuss critical issues in integrating these QDs into QLEDs, focusing on charge transport engineering and suppression of charge leakage. Finally, we outline the remaining challenges and prospects for advancing InP-based QLEDs in displays and solid-state lighting.