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Highly efficient printed quantum dot light-emitting diodes through ultrahigh-definition double-layer transfer printing

Nature Photonics volume 18, pages 1105–1112 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Highly efficient and high-definition displays with deformable form factors are highly desirable for next-generation electronic devices. Despite the unique advantages of quantum dots (QDs), including high photoluminescence quantum yield, wide colour range and high colour purity, developing a QD patterning process for high-definition pixels and efficient QD light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) is in its early stages. Here we present highly efficient QLEDs through ultrahigh-definition double-layer transfer printing of a QD/ZnO film. Surface engineering of viscoelastic stamps enables double-layer transfer printing that can create RGB pixelated patterns with 2,565 pixels per inch and monochromic QD patterns with ~20,526 pixels per inch. The close packing of both QDs and ZnO nanoparticles by double-layer transfer printing substantially minimizes the leakage current, enhancing the external quantum efficiency of our devices to 23.3%. Furthermore, we demonstrate highly efficient wearable QLEDs fabricated by our technique. This study paves the way for the development of highly efficient, full-colour QD displays via the transfer printing technique, demonstrating great promise for next-generation display technologies.

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Fig. 1: High-resolution intaglio transfer printing of QD/ZnO DL.
Fig. 2: Analysis of QD/ZnO DL films depending on the fabrication methods used.
Fig. 3: QD/ZnO DL transfer-printed QLEDs.
Fig. 4: Ultrathin wearable DL transfer-printed QLEDs.

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Data availability

All the data supporting the findings of this study are available within this Article and its Supplementary Information. Any additional information can be obtained from the corresponding authors on reasonable request. Source data are provided with this paper.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (grants nos. RS-2024-00402972, 2022R1A5A6000846 and 2021R1C1C1007997). This work was supported by IBS-R006-D1. This work was supported by the Samsung Research Funding & Incubation Center of Samsung Electronics under project no. SRFC-MA2002-03. Experiments at PLS-II were supported in part by MSIT, POSTECH and UNIST Central Research Facilities.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Jisu Yoo, Kyunghoon Lee.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, Republic of Korea

    Jisu Yoo, U. Jeong Yang, Jae Hong Jang, Jung Duk Seo, Jong Ik Kwon, Myoung Hoon Song & Moon Kee Choi

  2. Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, Republic of Korea

    Kyunghoon Lee, Hyeon Hwa Song, Kiwook Kim, Soo Ik Park, Shi Li, Won Seok Yu & Jiwoong Yang

  3. Graduate School of Semiconductor Materials and Devices Engineering, Center for Future Semiconductor Technology (FUST), Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, Republic of Korea

    Gwang Heon Lee, Myoung Hoon Song & Moon Kee Choi

  4. Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Megalamane S. Bootharaju, Jun Hee Kim, Taeghwan Hyeon & Moon Kee Choi

  5. School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Institute of Chemical Processes, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Megalamane S. Bootharaju, Jun Hee Kim & Taeghwan Hyeon

  6. Energy Science and Engineering Research Center, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, Republic of Korea

    Jiwoong Yang

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Contributions

J. Yoo, K.L., T.H., J. Yang and M.K.C. conceived and designed the experiments. K.L., H.H.S., J.H.K., S.I.P. and W.S.Y. synthesized and characterized the QDs. J. Yoo, U.J.Y., G.H.L. and J.I.K. performed and characterized the double-layer transfer printing. J. Yoo, U.J.Y., J.H.J., K.K., S.L., J.D.S. and M.H.S. fabricated and characterized the devices. J. Yoo, K.L., U.J.Y., M.S.B., T.H., J. Yang and M.K.C. analysed the data and wrote the manuscript. T.H., J. Yang and M.K.C. supervised the project. All authors contributed to the discussion and commented on the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Taeghwan Hyeon, Jiwoong Yang or Moon Kee Choi.

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Nature Photonics thanks Caicai Zhang and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Supplementary information

Supplementary Information

Supplementary Notes, Figs. 1–24, Tables 1–4 and references.

Source data

Source Data Fig. 1

Pattern width and trench width comparison data.

Source Data Fig. 2

Impedance data, electron only device data.

Source Data Fig. 3

QLED performance data.

Source Data Fig. 4

Ultrathin QLED bending I-V curve, ultrathin QLED performance data.

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Yoo, J., Lee, K., Yang, U.J. et al. Highly efficient printed quantum dot light-emitting diodes through ultrahigh-definition double-layer transfer printing. Nat. Photon. 18, 1105–1112 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-024-01496-x

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