Printed Quantum Dot display breakthrough makes tomorrow’s low cost, ultra-thin, and flexible displays possible

Dec 4, 2017
4 min read

 
 

Printed Quantum Dot display breakthrough makes tomorrow’s low cost, ultra-thin, and flexible displays possible

Nanosys and DIC Global Demonstrate Ink Jet Printed Quantum Dot Color Conversion for LCD and Emissive Displays

Milpitas, Calif., and Tokyo, Japan, December 5, 2017 – Nanosys and DIC today announced a breakthrough in inkjet-printed Quantum Dot color conversion devices for LCD and emissive displays, paving the way to the $12.6 billion anticipated market for low cost, ultra-thin and flexible displays.[1] Inkjet printing of Quantum Dot color conversion layers has the potential to dramatically improve the incumbent LCD technology, as well as accelerate the development of emerging emissive display technologies such as microLEDs.

Inkjet-printed Quantum Dot color filter replacement layer. Microscope capture shows Nanosys red and green cadmium-free Quantum Dots in DIC ink printed into 100 by 300 micron sub-pixels. Pixel size equivalent to a 50-inch UltraHD TV.

Inkjet-printed Quantum Dot color filter replacement layer. Microscope capture shows Nanosys red and green cadmium-free Quantum Dots in DIC ink printed into 100 by 300 micron sub-pixels. Pixel size equivalent to a 50-inch UltraHD TV.

The benefits of Quantum Dot color conversion layers include a power efficiency or brightness improvement of as much as 300%, perfect 180 degree viewing angles and lifelike color accuracy with much wider color gamut.

“Nanosys is focused on providing best-in-class Quantum Dot materials and technology to help printed Quantum Dot displays achieve mass commercialization,” said Kiyotaka Kawashima, Executive Officer and General Manager Corporate R&D Division, DIC Corporation.  “We expect that our collaboration with Nanosys will enable display makers to successfully manufacture printed Quantum Dot displays, at scale, sooner.”

Delivering a true mass production-ready ink jet printing solution for large area UltraHD Quantum Dot displays required technical breakthroughs in several key areas. Nanosys Cadmium-free quantum dots have been designed to be compatible with DIC’s materials and processes used for inkjet printing. Inks have been created for jettability across a wide range of print heads and tuned for both UV and thermal curing, giving display makers flexibility to deploy the materials in different manufacturing lines.

“With DIC and Nanosys combining their considerable expertise in inkjet printing and Quantum Dot materials, the industry is poised to take a significant step forward in achieving low cost mass production of Quantum Dot displays,” said Russell Kempt, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Nanosys. 

Nanosys and DIC Global executives will present on breakthroughs in ink jet printing for Quantum Dot display mass production at this week’s 2017 International Display Workshop in Sendai, Japan. To learn more about the event and register to attend, visit: https://www.idw.or.jp/

About DIC, Inc.

Established in 1908 as a manufacturer of printing inks, DIC has expanded its mainstay organic pigments and synthetic resins businesses while at the same time cultivating world-class related core technologies. Since then, DIC has leveraged these technologies to build a broad portfolio encompassing materials and finished products. This has enabled the Company to respond to market needs by providing customers in the automotive, electronics, food packaging, housing and other industries with solutions that bring “color” and “comfort” to people’s lives.
Looking ahead, DIC —today a multinational organization with operations in more than 60 countries and territories— will redouble its efforts to contribute to environmental protection and to the realization of a safe and sustainable society.

[1] According to Research And Markets report: "Global Markets, Technologies and Applications for Flexible Displays" the market for flexible displays could reach $12.6 billion by 2023.


About Nanosys

Nanosys, Inc. is the leader in developing and delivering quantum dot and microLED technology to the display industry. As of 2021, industry leading consumer electronics brands have shipped more than 35 million devices from tablets to monitors and TVs based on Nanosys’ proprietary quantum dot technology. Founded in 2001, the company is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California where it operates the world’s largest quantum dot nanomaterials fab. Nanosys currently owns or has exclusive license rights to more than 1000 issued and pending patents worldwide.