The use of quantum dots in displays has made it to high-quality prototypes amongst established tech companies like Samsung, Sharp, and TCL. These semiconductor nanocrystals, the size of just 2-10 nanometres, can enable realistic and high-definition displays for TVs, monitors, and smart tablets.
EL-QD
Quantum dots’ natural light qualities, coupled with their tiny particle size, make them a great choice for top-quality, realistic display screens. Their RGB colors are extremely pure and can provide an excellent color gamut for various display applications. IDTechEx’s report, “Quantum Dot Materials and Technologies 2024-2034: Trends, Markets, Applications”, explores extensive applications for quantum dot technology.
Electroluminescent quantum dots (EL-QDs) are a promising display technology that directly utilizes the electroluminescence of quantum dots to generate light. Unlike conventional LEDs or quantum dot color converters (QDCCs), where a blue LED is used to excite the quantum dots, EL-QDs emit light directly when an electric current is applied. In EL-QD displays, the quantum dots are sandwiched between two electrodes, forming a light-emitting layer. When a voltage is applied across the electrodes, electrons, and holes are injected into the quantum dot layer, where they recombine and emit light. The emission color is determined by the size and composition of the quantum dots, allowing for precise control over the color gamut. EL-QD can achieve a wider color gamut than conventional displays due to their narrow emission spectra and tunable emission wavelengths. Fast response time is also an attractive feature compared to LCDs and OLEDs. EL-QDs also have the potential for higher electroluminescence efficiency compared to organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).
Photoluminescence
Photoluminescence provides light to the existing light of quantum dots to produce a new kind that is brighter and more colorful, changing shorter blue light waves to longer reds and greens. Though Samsung has already commercialized QD-OLED, which is based on photoluminescent quantum dots, they have recently produced a good-quality prototype for a QD-LED screen. Working similarly to QD-OLED, EL-QD utilizes electroluminescent quantum dots as the emissive layer to generate red, green, and blue light without needing a separate backlight or color.
Quantum dot discovery
The Nobel Prize for Chemistry was awarded in 2023 for the discovery and advancements made in quantum dot technology. This award highlights the importance of quantum dots not only in entertainment technology but also in medicine.
Discovered in 1980, quantum dots comprise a core, shell, and the outer layer of ligands that stabilize the particles and enable their semiconductor qualities. The innermost core layer is surrounded by the shell, which has a wider bandgap and can improve the efficiency of quantum dots as well as the quantum yield. By coating this layer, a particle’s capacity and strength can be increased, making quantum dots suitable for multiple applications.
IDTechEx predicts the global quantum dot (QD) material market to reach US$550 million by 2034 and expects it to grow much more in the future, taking increasing market share. This optimism speaks for the opportunities for quantum dots in many technology sectors as they continue to reshape displays and smart devices with continually increasing quality and, therefore, increasing market value.
For more information, please see IDTechEx’s report on the topic, “Quantum Dot Materials and Technologies 2024-2034: Trends, Markets, Applications”. Downloadable sample pages are available for this report.
For the full portfolio of advanced materials market research available from IDTechEx, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research/AM.
