Reviewed by Lexie CornerNov 11 2024
In a review paper published in Light: Science & Applications, a team of scientists led by Professor Hoi-sing Kwok from the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Displays and Optoelectronics Technologies at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology presented a comprehensive overview of color-conversion displays. The review explores various types of color conversion in displays, color conversion materials (CCMs), and patterning processes.
This review paper includes the following information: types of color conversion methods, color conversion materials, patterning process, and performance improvement strategies. Image Credit: Guijun Li, Man-Chun Tseng, Yu Chen, Fion Sze-Yan Yeung, Hangyu He, Yuechu Cheng, Junhu Cai, Enguo Chen, Hoi-Sing Kwok
Display technology has become increasingly prominent and ubiquitous in daily life, with applications spanning augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) devices, smartphones, tablets, monitors, TVs, and more. As displays continue to evolve, the demand for high-quality color representation is growing, closely tied to the rising visual expectations of users.
Color reproduction in displays is typically achieved by mixing red, green, and blue primary colors using two methods: RGB tri-color independent luminescence and the use of a blue excitation light source combined with a color conversion process. The latter, known as color conversion, offers an alternative approach to color reproduction by using high-energy blue light to generate red and green light, enabling full-color representation.
Professor Enguo Chen from the National and Local United Engineering Laboratory of Flat Panel Display Technology at Fuzhou University, and Professor Guijun Li from the Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems at Shenzhen University, along with their colleagues, contributed to the study.
The authors said, “Color-conversion displays have become a significant technology in the display industry market today. They offer advantages such as high brightness, wide color gamut, improved contrast ratio, and simplified fabrication processes. These advancements have reinvigorated various display technologies and are driving the introduction of new LCD, OLED, and Micro-LED display products.”
They added, “Currently, color-conversion LCDs have reached maturity in the market. However, there is still a need for advancements in terms of high resolution, low cost, and high reliability. Extensive research is currently focused on color conversion Micro-LED displays, as this approach is believed to be a feasible pathway for commercializing this emerging display technology.”
“Substantial further research into industry-compatible large-scale patterning, proper packing, and encapsulation is crucial to enable the development of commercial products in this field,” the researchers forecast.
Journal Reference:
Li, G., et al. (2024). Color-conversion displays: current status and future outlook. Light Science & Applications. doi.org/10.1038/s41377-024-01618-8.