SBIR Phase I: Light Emitting Diode Pixel Circuit Incorporating Thin Film Electronics Based on Amorphous Metals

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）一期项目将开发一种新的电路，用于控制具有可变刷新率的微型发光二极管（LED）和有机发光二极管（OLED）平板显示器。可变刷新率OLED显示器是平板显示器行业快速增长的领域，目前它们的售价比标准OLED显示器高出79%。据估计，2021年可变刷新率OLED显示器的市场规模将达到1.91亿台，平均售价为125美元，总服务市场规模约为220亿美元。这一创新具有广泛的社会影响潜力，因为平板显示器现在无处不在，可变刷新率技术使它们能够在提高性能的同时显着降低功耗。该项目的智力价值源于正在开发的新颖像素控制电路，以实现平板显示器的可变刷新率操作。该电路采用非晶金属非线性电阻器和非晶金属薄膜晶体管器件，在降低漏电流的同时提高了速度。项目中概述的研究目标集中在开发概念验证原型以演示电路性能。它们包括原型布局的开发，工艺流程，模拟，以及显示原型的制造和测试。预期的技术结果是一个简单的小面积低分辨率显示器，证明了该技术的可行性。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a new circuit for controlling micro light emitting diode (LED) and organic light emitting diode (OLED) flat panel displays with variable refresh rate. Variable refresh rate OLED displays are a rapidly growing area for the flat panel display industry and they currently sell for a 79% premium over standard OLED displays. The 2021 market for variable refresh rate OLED displays is currently estimated to be 191 million units with an average selling price of $125, for a total served market of roughly $22 billion. This innovation has the potential for broad societal impact because flat panel displays are now ubiquitous, and variable refresh rate technology enables them to reduce significantly power consumption while improving performance. The intellectual merit of this project stems from the novel pixel control circuit being developed to enable variable refresh rate operation of flat panel displays. This circuit uses amorphous metal non-linear resistor and amorphous metal thin-film transistor devices to reduce leakage current and simultaneously increase speed. The research objectives outlined in the project are focused on the development of a proof-of-concept prototype to demonstrate circuit performance. They include development of a prototype layout, process flow, simulations, as well as fabrication and testing of display prototypes. The anticipated technical result is a simple small-area low-resolution display that demonstrates the feasibility of the technology.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.