RGB Quantum Dots bring full color conversion to MicroLEDs
July 2, 2024
MicroLED displays have garnered significant attention due to their superior brightness, energy efficiency, reliability, and flexible form factors. These displays are potentially valuable across various industries, including consumer electronics, automotive, and TV/video walls, thanks to their enhanced outdoor visibility and durability. Despite their advantages, microLED displays face significant challenges in manufacturing yield and costs, delaying widespread adoption. The display community is currently divided between two primary approaches: direct emission and color-conversion emission.
Applied Materials recently published an article in SID’s Information Display magazine that focuses on the full color-conversion method, exploring its benefits and manufacturability. The piece, titled “MicroLED Displays from Full-Color Conversion: A Practical, Manufacturable Approach,” delves into the innovative use of UV microLEDs combined with cadmium- and lead-free quantum dots (QDs) to achieve stunning, full-color displays.
(a) Picture of the active-matrix smartwatch display prototypes built by UV microLEDs and Cd-free RGB QDs; (b) the display prototype's key specifications; and (c) additional pictures taken from the display showing good color saturation and contrast ratio.
This approach overcomes significant manufacturing challenges, simplifying the production process while enhancing display performance. The article showcases a novel printing-curing-washing-drying (PCWD) process, ensuring precise QD placement and eliminating color bleed, leading to superior color accuracy and higher yields. The result is a prototype smartwatch display that boasts over 3,000 nits brightness, a high contrast ratio, and a wide color gamut, promising exceptional visual experiences.
As the display industry strives for greener and more efficient technologies, this research positions full-color-conversion microLED displays as the future of high-performance screens. Dive into this insightful article to explore how these advancements could transform smartphones, smartwatches, automotive displays, and more, setting new standards in the display technology landscape.