Advancing Programmable Information Encryption Circuits Through Colorful Phosphorescent Carbon Nanodots with Versatile Lifetimes

Optical encryption technology attracts considerable attention in the field of information encryption, information storage, and anti-counterfeiting. However, optical encryption based on conventional on/off mode still faces issues such as low scalability, ease of cracking, and poor storage capacity; multi-dimensional and high storage capacity information encryption systems are thus needed. Herein, a programmable information encryption circuit system is demonstrated by constructing a delay light-emitting diode (LED) array using multi-color phosphorescent carbon nanodots (CNDs) with versatile lifetimes. The CNDs show adjustable luminescence wavelength and lifetime from 192 to 1148 ms. The programmable delay luminescent circuit provides an intricate framework for meticulously integrating an LED array, enabling the creation of intricate patterns or alphanumeric codes. These intricate designs are engineered to serve as a component of an encryption system, which can be deciphered and unveiled under a specific delay time range. This study demonstrates the feasibility and superiority of the system as a new type of information anti-counterfeiting encryption technology, providing a new concept for exploring the field of integrated circuit anti-counterfeiting and encryption.