SBIR Phase II: Photopatternable Quantum Dot Downconverters for Microdisplays

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目旨在展示光图案化量子点（QD）墨水的产品规模特性。这些包括：1)可扩展性，2)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。根据这些参数的演示，油墨可以与一家大型化学品制造商合作，在全球范围内进行商业化销售。光电模式QD墨水是一种新颖的产品，它将使显示器制造商能够为消费电子产品（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）显示器的制造和提高性能，这种墨水可以在2024年之前广泛影响84亿美元的市场。此外，该项目的成功提高了显示器的效率，可以减少多达1.1亿吨二氧化碳当量（MTCO2e）的碳排放，从而对环境产生更广泛的影响。这个项目的智力价值集中在将配体化学转化为油墨产品，并在生产规模上展示其性能。预期的产品是一种可光图图化的QD墨水，它可以实现红色和绿色QD下变频器的高分辨率图图化，从而实现具有出色色域，能效和刷新率的三色显示器。到目前为止，满足客户要求的分辨率和转换效率已经在薄膜级证明了油墨。在这个项目中，重点将放在最终产品上——一个由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)开发终身计量工具和技术；2)制定协议并演示膜寿命模拟装置条件；3)将油墨配方调至20升/年，以进行足够数量的测试；4)与行业合作伙伴一起生产具有生产规模的原型。这些目标的成功完成将产生一个由QD墨水产品启用的工作显示设备。设备的演示是吸引客户并说服他们墨水与产品兼容性的关键证据。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 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.