SBIR Phase II: Photopatternable Quantum Dot Downconverters for Microdisplays

这一小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目旨在展示可拍照图案的量子点(QD)油墨的产品规模特性。这些包括：1)可伸缩性，2)在设备操作下的长寿命，以及3)与显示器制造商协议和设施的兼容性。在展示了这些参数之后，这种油墨可以与一家大型化学品制造商合作进行商业化，以便在全球分销。可拍照的QD墨水是一种新型产品，将使显示器制造商能够为消费电子产品(例如电视、显示器、笔记本电脑屏幕、智能手机、可穿戴设备、虚拟现实和增强现实耳机)生产下一代高色域、三倍能效和高刷新率显示器。苹果、LG、京东方和三星等公司最近宣布，通过简化有机发光二极管(OLED)和微型发光二极管(MicroLED)显示器的制造并提高其性能，到2024年，这种墨水可以广泛影响84亿美元的市场。此外，该项目的成功提高了显示器的效率，可以减少高达1.1亿吨二氧化碳当量(MtCO2e)的碳排放，对更广泛的环境影响做出贡献。该项目的智力优势集中在通过展示生产规模的性能将配体化学转化为墨水产品。目标产品是一种可拍摄图案的QD油墨，可实现红色和绿色QD下变频器的高分辨率图案，以实现具有出色色域、能效和刷新率的三色显示器。到目前为止，已经证明油墨在薄膜水平上具有满足客户要求的分辨率和转换效率。在这个项目中，重点将放在最终产品上--通过这种墨水技术实现的功能显示器。为了实现这一目标，项目目标是：1)开发寿命测量工具和技术；2)开发协议并演示薄膜寿命模拟设备的条件；3)将墨水配方扩大到20 L/年，以便进行足够数量的测试；以及4)与行业合作伙伴一起生产规模生产的原型。这些目标的成功完成将产生由QD墨水产品启用的工作显示设备。设备演示是吸引客户并使他们相信墨水与其产品的兼容性的关键证据。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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 II project seeks to demonstrate product-scale properties of photo-patternable quantum dot (QD) inks. These include: 1) scalability, 2) long lifetime under device operation, and 3) compatibility with display manufacturer protocols and facilities. Following the demonstration of these parameters, the ink can be commercialized in partnership with a large chemical manufacturer for global distribution. The photo-patternable QD ink is a novel product that will enable display manufacturers to produce the next generation of high color gamut, triple energy efficiency, and high refresh rate displays for consumer electronics (e.g. TVs, monitors, laptop screens, smartphones, wearables, and virtual reality and augmented reality headsets). Such an ink can broadly impact an $8.4 billion market by 2024 by simplifying the manufacturing and improving the performance of organic light emitting diode (OLED) and micro light emitting diode (microLED) displays recently announced by companies such as Apple, LG, BOE, and Samsung. Furthermore, the efficiency improvement in displays made by the project’s success could reduce carbon emissions by as much as 110 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e), contributing to broader environmental impacts. The intellectual merit of this project focuses on converting a ligand chemistry into an ink product by demonstrating performance at production scale. The intended product is a photo-patternable QD ink that enables high resolution patterning of red and green QD downconverters to enable a tri-color display with excellent color gamut, energy efficiency, and refresh rate. To date, resolution and conversion efficiencies meeting customer requirements have been demonstrated for the ink at the film level. In this project, the focus will be on the end product - a functioning display enabled by this ink technology. To accomplish this, the project objectives are: 1) to develop lifetime metrology tools and techniques; 2) to develop a protocol and demonstrate the film lifetime simulating device conditions; 3) to scale the ink formulation to 20 L/y to enable a sufficient number of tests; and 4) to produce a prototype at production scale with an industry collaborator. The successful completion of these objectives will yield a working display device that is enabled by the QD ink product. A demonstration of a device is critical evidence to engage customers and convince them of the compatibility of the ink with their product.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.