Progress and Prospects of Nanoscale Emitter Technology for AR/VR Displays

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are emerging interactive technologies that realize the “metaverse,” leading to a totally new digital interactive experience in daily life in various aspects. In order to provide users with a more immersive experience, displays for AR/VR have rapidly evolved to achieve high resolutions and a large color gamut on small panels. Recently, nanoscale light emitters such as quantum dots (QDs) and metal halide perovskites (MHPs) with high photoluminescence quantum efficiency and color purity levels have garnered much attention as color conversion materials in AR/VR displays. However, the low material stability and the absence of a high‐resolution patterning process that does not impair the optical properties of nanoscale emitters act as obstacles preventing the realization of high‐resolution AR/VR displays. Here, the state‐of‐the‐art technologies constituting current AR/VR devices are reviewed from an industrial point of view and the recent progress in QD and MHP emitter technologies are discussed, including their basic structural properties, synthesis strategies to enhance the stability, advanced patterning technologies, down‐conversion and light‐emitting diode applications. Based on the review, the authors’ perspective on future research directions of nanoscale emitters for next‐generation AR/VR displays is presented.

Direct photocatalytic patterning of colloidal emissive nanomaterials

“…PeNCs have a high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (PLQY) close to unity, facile and wide color tunability by halide anion exchange, and exceptional color purity owing to their narrow emission spectra with full width at half maximum of ~20 nm, which is much smaller than those of inorganic quantum dots (QDs) (25 to 40 nm) or organic emitters (≥40 nm) (4,5). Because of their unique optical characteristics, PeNCs have been regarded as highly suitable light emitters for potential use in next-generation displays that provide immersive experiences featuring vivid and realistic contents (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7).…”

Eco-Friendly Zn–Ag–In–Ga–S Quantum Dots: Amorphous Indium Sulfide Passivated Silver/Sulfur Vacancies Achieving Efficient Red Light-Emitting Diodes

“…Combined with its nontoxic nature, it could provide a more realistic augmented/virtual experience beyond the existing near-eye displays. We envision the next generation of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets will be based on I–III–VI QDs through technological breakthroughs soon. , …”

“…We envision the next generation of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets will be based on I−III−VI QDs through technological breakthroughs soon. 42,43 ■ EXPERIMENTAL SECTION Materials. Ga(acac) 3 (99.999%), AgI (99.9%), InI 3 (99.9%), and ZnI 2 (99.999%) were purchased from Macklin.…”

Direct Optical Lithography of Colloidal InP-Based Quantum Dots with Ligand Pair Treatment

“…Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) constitute a promising class of next-generation optoelectronic materials that exhibit large absorption coefficients, high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQY), and excellent color purity. − Based on the extensive research conducted on the synthesis methods and characteristics of InP QDs, they have recently been adopted as color conversion layers for commercial TVs owing to their low toxicity. − To implement QDs in next-generation displays such as augmented reality glasses, the QD layer must be uniformly patterned into red, green, and blue (RGB) subpixels at a scale of a few micrometers or less …”

“…4−8 To implement QDs in next-generation displays such as augmented reality glasses, the QD layer must be uniformly patterned into red, green, and blue (RGB) subpixels at a scale of a few micrometers or less. 9 Direct optical lithography of functional inorganic nanomaterials (DOLFIN) is an emerging patterning technique that uses a photosensitive moiety in the nanomaterial ink to create patterns instead of using prepatterns of conventional photoresist. 10 DOLFIN yields highly uniform high-resolution QD patterns without involving complicated steps of conventional photolithography (Figure S1).…”