SBIR Phase I: Monolithic Integration of LED Arrays and Silicon TFTs for Super High Brightness Microdisplays

该小企业创新计划（SBIR）第一阶段项目旨在通过单片集成高性能硅晶体管与化合物半导体光电材料来开发一种新的高亮度光引擎平台。发光二极管（LED）的密集阵列先前已经被制造以显示在微显示器和投影概念中使用这样的阵列的机会。然而，如果没有主动控制电路，最终的亮度和分辨率是有限的。该SBIR开发的技术可在单个基板上制造具有集成控制电路的LED阵列，从而实现具有高峰亮度（20，000，000 cd/m2）、高动态范围（从弱光到室外阳光）和高效率（80 lm/W）的光引擎平台。原型LED阵列已经制造出来，下一步实现这个平台是开发直接控制LED阵列的硅电路。该SBIR第一阶段项目的预期成果是与LED阵列兼容的低温薄膜晶体管制造工艺、适当缩放的晶体管、器件性能和均匀性模型以及完全开发的控制电路，这些将使商业演示设备成为可能。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种具有现有系统无法提供的功率效率，亮度，成本和形状因子的光引擎。特别是，确定了三个市场，该技术显着优势超过目前的技术，2亿美元的微型显示器市场，4.9亿美元的微型投影机市场，和20亿美元的投影机市场。该光引擎平台具有小尺寸、长寿命、环境稳健性、高能效以及阳光下可读性所需的高亮度。这些功能对于创建真正无处不在的显示设备并实现新的透视增强现实体验或更小，更集成的投影仪是必要的，这是当前技术无法实现的。该设备的商业化将影响所有这些领域，并实现一系列新的下游应用，包括其他非显示行业，如3D扫描和新型用户界面。

This Small Business Innovation Program (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop a new high brightness light engine platform by monolithically integrating high performance silicon transistors with compound semiconductor optoelectronic materials. Dense arrays of light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been previously fabricated to show the opportunity of using such arrays in microdisplay and projection concepts. However, without active control circuits, the ultimate brightness and resolution are limited. The technology developed in this SBIR uniquely allows for the fabrication of LED arrays with integrated control circuits on a single substrate enabling a light engine platform with high peak brightness (20,000,000 cd/m2), high dynamic range (from low light to outdoor sunlight), and high efficiency (80 lm/W). Prototype LED arrays have been fabricated, and the next step to realize this platform is the development of silicon circuitry to directly control the LED arrays. The anticipated results of this SBIR Phase I project are a low-temperature thin-film transistor fabrication process compatible with the LED arrays, appropriately scaled transistors, models of device performance and uniformity, and fully developed control circuits that will enable commercial demonstration devices. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the development of a light engine with a power efficiency, brightness, cost, and form factor unavailable in incumbent systems. In particular, three markets are identified where this technology significant advantages over current technologies, the $200 million microdisplay market, the $490 million pico-projector market, and the $2 billion projector market. This light engine platform offers a small form factor, long lifetime, environmental robustness, and high energy efficiency, and the high brightness required for sunlight readability. These features are necessary to create truly ubiquitous display devices and enable new see-through augmented reality experiences or smaller, more integrated projectors, not possible with current technologies. Commercialization of this device will impact all of these areas and enable a range of new downstream applications including other non-display industries, such as, 3D scanning and novel user interfaces.