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

这个小型企业创新计划(SBIR)第一阶段项目旨在通过将高性能硅晶体管与化合物半导体光电材料进行单片集成来开发新的高亮度光引擎平台。先前已经制造了发光二极管(LED)的密集阵列，以展示在微显示和投影概念中使用这种阵列的机会。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。这项在SBIR中开发的技术独一无二地允许在单个基板上制造具有集成控制电路的LED阵列，从而实现具有高峰值亮度(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。LED阵列样机已经制作完成，实现该平台的下一步是开发直接控制LED阵列的硅电路。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、适当规模的晶体管、器件性能和一致性模型，以及能够实现商业演示器件的全面开发的控制电路。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发具有现有系统所不具备的功率效率、亮度、成本和外形因素的轻型发动机。特别是，确定了这项技术相对于当前技术具有显著优势的三个市场，即价值2亿美元的微显示器市场、价值4.9亿美元的微微投影仪市场和价值20亿美元的投影仪市场。该光引擎平台外形小巧、使用寿命长、环境稳健性强、能效高，并具有太阳光可读性所需的高亮度。这些功能对于创造真正无处不在的显示设备和实现新的透明增强现实体验或更小、更集成的投影仪是必要的，而这在当前技术下是不可能的。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扫描和新的用户界面。

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.