Samsung Electronics has taken a new step in display development and presented the first full color display using quantum dots. The technology enables cheaper, brighter and more efficient displays than currently available for mobile phones and media players.
Samsung’s first sample of the quantum dot display measures 4 inches and will consume 1/5th of the power of an equivalent LCD. The manufacturing costs are about half of a LCD or OLED.
Quantum dots are semiconducting crystals that measures only a few nanometers and emits light when fed voltage. The material and size of the dots determine the color and through a thin-film transistor matrix each quantum dot is controlled by its own transistor. Samsung has managed to manufacture the new panel on both glass and flexible plastic.
Quantum dots and displays based on the technology are nothing new, but Samsung is the first company to have come this far. Even if there is a lot of potential there are of course drawbacks. First of all OLED is still more efficient, while the lifespan is limited. Samsung says the technology can be improved, but currently monitors start to lose brightness after only 10 000 hours.
It is estimated that quantum dot displays will not appear on the market before 2014.
Source: Nature.com
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