I-Corps: Smart Light-Emitting Diodes for Micro-Displays

这个I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力集中在基于纳米线microLED（μ LED）的新显示器和AR/VR设备应用上。财务和环境效益包括降低电力成本和减少消费减少排放。具有高效率和低功耗的微米或亚微米尺寸的LED对于诸如用于蜂窝电话和可穿戴电子设备的微显示器的应用是期望的。高效率、高显色性和低功耗的μ LED非常适合作为当前显示技术的替代品。I-Corps的这个项目探索了μ LED在显示和AR/VR设备应用中的转换。在产生用于LED显示器的RGB和白色彩色μ LED的不同方法中，基于III族氮化物纳米线异质结构μ LED的单片显示器是有前途的，因为它允许更直接地控制LED的发射波长。我们的解决方案--全色和白色纳米线μ LED--比当前的LED技术提供了多项改进。我们的μ LED的颜色发射可以很容易地从蓝色变化到红色，具有高度稳定的光发射。与传统的平面结构相比，我们的纳米线μ LED具有几个明显的优势，包括降低应变诱导极化场和位错密度。纳米线μ LED由于减小的电流扩散电阻而可以在散热方面更有效，并且导致增加的注入电流水平。提高效率和热管理允许将μ LED集成到柔性基板上，通常导热和导电性较低。该奖项反映了NSF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。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project focuses on new displays and AR/VR device applications based on nanowire microLEDs (μLEDs). Financial and environmental benefits include lower electricity costs and reduced emissions from decreased consumption. LEDs in micron- or sub-micron size with high efficiency and low power consuming are desirable for applications such as micro-displays for cell phones and wearable electronics. The high efficiency, high color-rendering properties, and low power consumption μLEDs are perfectly suitable as an alternative replacement of current display technologies.This I-Corps project explores translation of μLEDs for display and AR/VR device applications. Among different approaches of generating RGB and white color μLEDs for LED displays, the monolithic display based on III-nitride nanowire heterostructure μLEDs is promising since it allows more direct control of emission wavelengths of the LEDs. Our solution, full-color and white-color nanowire μLEDs, offer several improvements over current LED technologies. The color emissions of our μLEDs can be readily varied from blue to red with highly stable light emission. Compared to conventional planar structures, our nanowire μLEDs exhibit several distinct advantages, including reduced strain-induced polarization fields and dislocation densities. The nanowire μLEDs can be more efficient in heat dissipation due to reduced current spreading resistance, and resulting in increased injection current levels. Improved efficiency and thermal management allow the integration of μLEDs onto flexible substrates, typically less thermally and electrically conductive. These nanowire μLEDs are expected to perform better than their thin-film counterparts for micro-display applications.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.