LED phosphors are key elements for the quality of the light, from industrial to automotive applications and also general lighting. Yole Développement has published a new report ("Phosphors & Quantum Dots 2015: LED Downconverters for Lighting & Displays") covering the evolution of these products, both in terms of market and applications but also technology trends, as quantum dots are now entering volume production for display applications and could be adopted as well for lighting applications in the next 3 to 4 years.
We interviewed Nanosys Inc., one of the key developer and manufacturer of quantum dots for display, in order to share with us the evolution of the industry, the trends linked to the adoption of quantum dots and also what will happen in the next years.
Yole Développement: Can you introduce Nanosys history, products and ongoing development projects?
Jeff Yurek: Nanosys is leading the development of quantum dot technology for displays. Since our founding in 2001, we have partnered with leading display makers in creating standout tablets, TVs and smartphones that are thinner, lighter, brighter and more colorful than ever before. Our business model consists of two elements: 1) we sell Quantum Dot Concentrate™ materials and 2) technology licensing of component designs, like our Quantum Dot Enhancement Film (QDEF®), to industrial supply chain partners
While most of the innovative work we do can be measured in atomic units, the true impact of our technology advancements reach far beyond the beautiful and vibrant devices consumers hold in their hands. Nanosys has blazed a strategic path in quantum dot technology by developing one of the largest quantum dot patent portfolios with nearly 300 issued and pending patents worldwide. Our patents cover everything from the fundamentals of quantum dot construction to component and manufacturing designs. This extensive portfolio is the result of collaborations between Nanosys and prestigious universities such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Lawrence Berkeley National Labs and Hebrew University, as well as industry collaborations with companies like Philips-Lumileds and Life Technologies.
We've partnered with some of the biggest names in tablets and televisions to bring our technology to everyday consumers including 3M, Samsung, Sharp and LG. Working closely with these leading companies has given us insight into the tough engineering problems they face. At Nanosys we're dedicated to generating value for both the manufacturing companies and the consumer. We understand that being a leader in quantum dots takes more than simply making the best quantum dot technology and scaling it -- it takes an understanding of how to easily incorporate this technology into manufacturing processes. The result is products that are practical, commercializable, cost effective and set a new standard in color performance.
Nanosys is headquartered in Milpitas, California, in a state-of-the-art 60,000 square foot manufacturing, research and development facility. One of the largest in the world, our site has an initial installed production capacity of over 25 tons of our Quantum Dot Concentrate™ or enough material for approximately 10 million TVs per year.
QDEF®, Nanosys first major commercial product is shipping today in volume in consumer electronics devices and it's just the beginning. We have many innovative quantum dot products in the pipeline for 2015 and beyond that will continue to drive Nanosys' leadership position in the display industry.
YD: What are the products proposed by the company, what is in volume production or in qualification at customers?
JY: Nanosys manufactures Quantum Dots in high volume today. We recently announcedthat our state-of-the-art nanomaterials fab in Silicon Valley can produce 25 tons of Quantum Dot materials per year. That's enough Quantum Dots for 6 million 60" TVs. This flexible manufacturing line is also designed to produce Quantum Dots both with and without Cadmium without requiring major retooling.
YD: What are the advantage of quantum dots compared to the other technologies?
JY: Quantum Dots are the world's most efficient light emitting technology. Compared to other emitters like conventional LED phosphors and OLED Quantum Dots offer significantly better color performance and power efficiency. With Quantum Dots it is possible to make displays that are more colorful, brighter and more power efficient than ever before.
YD: Displays are the first killer application for quantum dots. What is your opinion on the added value of quantum dots for displays?
JY: Quantum Dots are bringing a whole new level of viewing experience to displays. With Quantum Dots it is now possible to experience the full benefits of UHD including resolution, color range (rec.2020 color gamut) and high dynamic range (HDR).
Samsung's SUHD TVs are a perfect example of this. With Quantum Dots they are able to offer both wide color gamut and peak brightness of 1,000 nits– that's 2-2.5X brighter than TVs today. It may sound extreme but it actually makes for an incredible viewing experience where specular highlights and explosions truly pop! The sort of "Pepsi challenge demo" that Samsung put on pitting Quantum Dots against Plasma, OLED and LED really showed off what this is all about (see image below). That level of performance is not possible without Quantum Dot Enhancement Film (QDEF) no other light emitting technology is efficient enough to do it.
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