A joint research team, affiliated with UNIST has unveiled a next-generation patterning technique for the production of perovskite nanocrystal displays which are ultra-thin and high-resolution. The production involves a very simple stamping-like printing process that will make it easy to commercialize the technique.
The global demand for ultra-high-resolution displays for wearable devices is steadily increasing thanks to the popularity of smartwatches and internet of things (IoT) devices that can be worn like glasses and headsets. Many wearable devices have curved displays to enhance their wearability even in active motion. However, such displays need to have high-resolution capabilities to accurately show images and texts because they are very small, about the size of a thumbnail.
Perovskite nanocrystals are a class of nanocrystals regarded as a next-generation material for ultra-high-resolution quantum dot displays. They can be used as a material capable of producing thin and curved high-resolution displays, but nanocrystal displays are chemically and physically unstable, requiring complicated equipment and processes to manufacture perovskite displays.
This breakthrough has been carried out by Professor Moon Kee Choi and his research team in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at UNIST, in collaboration with researchers from DGIST.
The newly developed technique allows manufacturers simply “stamp” layers of perovskite nanocrystal LEDs (PeLEDs) for easy and quick production. The printed PeLEDs have outstanding electroluminescence characteristics and can be adhered to curved surfaces like the skin or a leaf. It can also withstand forces created by twisting and bending.
“By greatly increasing the resolution of the PeLED-based displays, we expect them to be used in a wide range of sectors,” says Professor Choi. “The display will help increase the immersive experience of virtual reality and augmented reality devices by actualizing screens with higher resolutions than conventional screens.”
The findings of this research have been published in the October 2022 issue of Science Advances. This study has been supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) and the Samsung Future Technology Incubation Program.
Journal Reference
Jong Ik Kwon, Gyuri Park, Gwang Heon Lee, et al., “Ultrahigh-resolution full-color perovskite nanocrystal patterning for ultrathin skin-attachable displays,” Science Advances, (2022).
