A phosphor sheet and a backlight system providing wider color gamut for LCDs

SrGa₂S₄:Eu and CaS:Eu phosphors are useful to provide a wider color gamut to LCDs since their emissions are narrower, but they easily react with moisture. The phosphor sheet containing them was developed. The moisture barrier layers on it can separate them from a humid atmosphere. The LCD with the phosphor sheet could realize the wider color gamut of 90% NTSC‐xy, while the color gamut of the original LCD with the white LEDs containing YAG:Ce phosphor was 71% NTSC‐xy. The improvement of the brightness of the LCD with the phosphor sheet was studied. Encapsulates with a greater curvature on blue LEDs used with the phosphor sheet can increase the brightness. The brightness of the LCD with the phosphor sheet and blue LEDs with the spherical encapsulates of which the curvature = about 0.7 was estimated to reach to 85% of that of the original LCD. The simpler phosphor sheet with the aluminum film edge seals was also developed. It was confirmed that it has sufficient reliability during storage and operation at high temperature and high humidity and there is no difference in its reliability between the edge area and the center area. The importance of the moisture barrier layers which protect the SrGa₂S₄:Eu and CaS:Eu phosphors was confirmed. The phosphor sheet with the moisture barrier layers had better reliability than that with the PET layers.     

Inorganic EL devices with high‐performance blue phosphor and application to 34‐in. flat‐panel televisions

Abstract— A high‐performance inorganic electroluminescence (EL) device has been successfully developed by using an EL structure with a thick dielectric layer (TDEL) and sputtered BaAl₂S₄:Eu blue phosphor. The luminance and efficacy were higher than 2300 cd/m² and 2.5 lm/W at L⁶⁰, 120 Hz, respectively. Furthermore, the luminance at L⁶⁰, 1.2 kHz was more than 23,000 cd/m². The phosphor layer has a single‐phase and a highly oriented crystalline structure. The phosphor also shows high stability in air. A 34‐in. high‐definition television (HDTV) has been developed by combining a TDEL structure and color‐conversion materials. The panels with an optimized color filter demonstrated a peak luminance of 350 cd/m², a color gamut of more than 100% NTSC, and a wide viewing angle similar to that of plasma‐display panels. The high reproducibility of the 34‐in. panels using our pilot line has been confirmed.     

LED‐backlight feedback control system with integrated amorphous‐silicon color sensor on an LCD panel

Abstract— Thin‐film‐transistor liquid‐crystal displays (TFT‐LCDs) have the largest market share of all digital flat‐panel displays. An LCD backlighting system employing a three‐color red‐green‐blue light‐emitting diode (RGB‐LED) array is very attractive, considering its wide color gamut, tunable white point, high dimming ratio, long lifetime, and environmental compatibility. But the high‐intensity LED has problems with thermal stability and degradation of brightness over time. Color and white luminance levels are not stable over a wide range of temperature due to inherent long‐term aging characteristics. In order to minimize color point and brightness differences over time, optical feedback control is the key technology for any LED‐backlight system. In this paper, the feasibility of an optical color‐sensing feedback system for an LED backlight by integrating the amorphous‐silicon (a‐Si) color sensor onto the LCD panel will be presented. To minimize the photoconductivity degradation of a‐Si, a new laser exposure treatment has been applied. The integrated color‐sensor optical‐feedback‐controlled LED‐backlight system minimized the color variation to less than 0.008 Δu'v' (CIE1976) compared to 0.025 for an open‐loop system over the temperature range of 42–76°C.     

An electrophoretic deposition process for screening phosphor powders for color displays

Abstract— A new process incorporating electrophoretic deposition and a photolithographic technique was developed for coating repeating triads of 75‐μm‐wide stripes composed of green ZnSiO₄:Mn (P1), red Y₂O₃:Eu (P56), and blue ZnS:Ag, Cl (P11) phosphor particles. The resolution of the screens produced is 100 triads of phosphor stripes per inch of substrate. SEM micrographs show a high degree of phosphor stripe edge precision with relatively little cross‐contamination. Cathodoluminescence measurements revealed that the chromaticity of the phosphors were not altered by the coating process.     

Development of a new blue CaMgSi2O6:Eu2+ phosphor for PDPs

Abstract— A blue‐light‐emitting Eu²⁺‐doped CaMgSi₂O₆ phosphor having a long lifetime for a plasma‐display panel (PDP) was developed. The CaMgSi₂O₆:Eu²⁺(CMS:Eu) phosphors show no luminance degradation during the baking process, and an equivalent photoluminescence peak intensity compared to that of the conventional blue‐phosphor BaMgAl₁₀O₁₇:Eu²⁺ (BAM) after baking. CMS: Eu shows a poor luminescent characteristic for the Xe excimer band excitation due to the lack of absorption. To introduce the absorption center for the Xe excimer band, we performed Gd‐codoping of CMS: Eu as a sensitizer and found a new excitation band around 172 nm, which originated from Gd³⁺. The test PDPs panels using synthesized CMS: Eu phosphor and CMS: Eu, Gd phosphor were examined to investigate the luminescent and aging characteristics of a Xe‐discharge excitation source. The CMS: Eu panel shows an emission peak intensity comparable to that of the BAM panel (i.e., a comparable stimuli L/CIEy, 93% of BAM), while the CMS: Eu, Gd panel shows poorer blue emission intensity compared to the BAM panel (up to 53% of total stimuli of BAM). The CMS: Eu panel and the CMS: Eu, Gd panel show less luminance degradation than the BAM panel under the aging test, and the panel retains 90% of its luminance after 300 hours of driving. It was found that CMS: Eu appears to be a candidate for a new blue PDP phosphor because of its longevity in a Xe‐discharge plasma environment.     

A 3.0‐in. 308‐ppi WVGA AMOLED with a top‐emission white OLED and color filter

Abstract— A 3.0‐in. 308‐ppi WVGA top‐emission AMOLED display with a white OLED and color filters, driven by LTPS TFTs demonstrating a color gamut of >90% and a Δ(u′,v′) of <0.02 is reported. A white‐emission source with a unique device structure was developed using all fluorescent materials and yielded efficiencies of 8.45% and 16 cd/A at 4000 nits with CIE color coordinates of (0.30, 0.32).     

Achieving standard wide color gamut by tuning LED backlight and color filter spectrum in LCD

In order to achieve the standard red, green, and blue (sRGB) standard color gamut in color liquid crystal display and improve the image quality, the impact of the backlight and color filter spectrum on module's chroma was simulated and analyzed. The color gamut was enhanced by adjusting and optimizing the two parts of spectrums of LED backlight and color filter and by using red and green phosphor LED backlight to match the new color filter with an appropriate thickness. Experimental results show that: When the thickness of color filter is 2.2 µm, National Television System Committee color gamut increases from 65.3% to 74.9%, and sRGB matching rate enhances from 83.2% to 100%, achieving a full coverage of the sRGB standard color gamut, the transmittance of white light reaches 28.1%. Also, it is verified that shifting the peak position of the backlight and color filter spectrum to purification direction, as well as narrowing its half‐width can upgrade the color gamut. Meanwhile, the thicker the thickness of color filter is, the wider color gamut it has, based on the same pigment material.     

All solution‐processed white quantum‐dot light‐emitting diodes with three‐unit tandem structure

Quantum‐dot light‐emitting diodes (QLEDs) are promising candidates for next generation displays. White QLEDs which can emit red, green and blue colors are particularly important; this is because the combination of white QLEDs and color filters offers a practical solution for high‐resolution full‐color displays. In this work, we demonstrate all‐solution processed three‐unit (red/green/blue) white tandem QLEDs for the first time. The white tandem devices are achieved by serially connecting the red bottom sub‐QLED, the green middle sub‐QLED and the blue top sub‐QLED using the inter‐connecting layer (ICL) based on ZnMgO/PEDOT:PSS heterojunction. With the proposed ICL, the two‐unit tandem QLEDs exhibit a high current efficiency of 22.22 cd/A, while the three‐unit white QLEDs exhibit evenly separated red, green and blue emission with a CIE coordinate of (0.30, 0.44), a peak current efficiency of 4.75 cd/A and a high luminance of 4206 cd/m². Displays based on the developed white QLEDs exhibit a wide color gamut of 114% NTSC. This work confirms the effectiveness of the proposed ZnMgO/PEDOT:PSS ICL and the feasibility of making all‐solution processed tandem white QLEDs by using the proposed ICL.     

A carbon‐nanotube field‐emission display with simple electron‐beam trajectory control

Abstract— A unique gated cathode structure for a carbon‐nanotube‐based field‐emission display has been designed and built. This structure optimizes the electron‐beam profiles to assure a good color gamut and high anode efficiency without requiring specific focusing electrodes or structure. A computer simulation, written to analyze and improve the device design, shows good correlation with the experimental data and helps predict design margins. A full‐color frit‐sealed display built with this approach demonstrates an excellent color gamut of the phosphor, and the model predicts avenues for further color‐gamut improvements.     

Color‐by‐Blue: A novel method to achieve full‐color inorganic EL displays

Abstract— A new method for achieving full‐color capability for inorganic EL displays was developed, which combines electroluminescence with photoluminescence phenomena in the same device structure. In this display panel, the blue emission was obtained from the EL device by using the Eu‐doped barium thioaluminate phosphor material system, which was then used to generate green and red emission by the use of down‐conversion materials. The major advantages of the Color‐by‐Blue method (CBB) are the elimination of color‐balance control issues associated with the use of different electroluminescent phosphor materials for red, green, and blue with potentially different threshold voltages for the onset of luminance and the achievement of a low‐cost high‐yield manufacturing process.     

LED packaging by ink‐jet microdeposition of high‐viscosity resin and phosphor dispersion

Abstract— An ink‐jet‐printing method applied to the microdeposition of high‐viscosity resin, including optimization of phosphor dispersion for light‐emitting‐diode (LED) packaging was examined for the first time. An ultrasonic ink‐jet‐printing method was used, in which ink droplets are ejected by a focused ultrasonic beam from a nozzle‐less printhead. To fabricate white LEDs, high‐viscosity phosphor‐dispersed resin was deposited to form an encapsulant dome. Two types of methods to control phosphor sedimentation for color uniformity were examined; one is heating the lead frame during the resin deposition, and the other is hydrophobic surface treatment of the lead frame base enabling the fabrication of a small encapsulant dome. For light direction control, a silicone micro lens was deposited on an encapsulant dome using the ink‐jet method. The results show that ultrasonic ink‐jet printing is an applicable technique to optimize and modify on‐demand optical characteristics of LED devices.     

Power‐saving primary design for displays enclosing a target color gamut

Abstract— Display primaries are optimized for the trade‐off between the total primary power and color gamut under the requirement that a target color gamut is enclosed by the color gamut of the display. LED displays and HDTV color gamut are taken as examples. Compared to the display using a set of typical commercial RGB LEDs, it was found that a total optical (electrical) power of 23.6% (15.6%) can be saved for the display using optimal RGB LEDs. Although the size of the display color gamut is sacrificed, the color gamut of the display using optimal RGB LEDs still encloses the HDTV color gamut. The combined effect of the LED luminous efficiency and white‐point condition on the determination of the optimal LED wavelengths and bandwidths is also studied.     

Characteristics of a high‐Xe‐concentration 4‐in. PDP

The performance of two 4‐in. color PDP test panels with a default and a high‐Xe‐concentration gas mixture will be discussed. The default panel with a gas mixture of 3.5% Xe in Ne and a filling pressure of 665 hPa was compared with a panel containing a gas mixture of 13.5% Xe in Ne and a filling pressure of 800 hPa. The panels contain a green phosphor, YBO₃:Tb, which showed less saturation at high UV load compared with a Willemite phosphor. The panel performance was compared in addressed conditions. For the default panel, a white luminance of 710 cd/m² and an efficacy of 1.6 lm/W was found, while for the high‐Xe‐partial‐pressure panel, a white luminance of 2010 cd/m² and an efficacy of 3.8 lm/W was realized. The increase of the driving voltages, about 20–30 V, is moderate. Finally, color saturation is improved at high Xe partial pressure.     

High performance color‐converted micro‐LED displays

A full‐color micro‐LED display can be achieved by red, green, and blue (RGB) chips or by a blue/ultraviolet (UV) micro‐LED array to pump downconverters. The latter helps relieve the burden of epitaxial growth of tri‐color micro‐LED chips. However, such a color‐converted micro‐LED system usually suffers from color crosstalk and low efficiency due to limited optical density of color converters. With funnel‐tube array and reflective coating on its inner surface, the crosstalk is eliminated, and the optical efficiency can be improved by more than two times. In addition, the ambient contrast ratio is also improved because of higher light intensity. The color gamut of this device is approximately 92% of DCI‐P3 standard.     

Dysprosium doped di-strontium magnesium di-silicate white light emitting phosphor by solid state reaction method

Dysprosium doped di-strontium magnesium di-silicate namely Sr₂MgSi₂O₇:Dy³⁺ phosphor was prepared by the solid state reaction method. The phase structure, surface morphology, particle size, elemental analysis was analyzed by using XRD, TEM, EDX and FTIR techniques. The EDX and FTIR spectra confirm the present elements in Sr₂MgSi₂O₇:Dy³⁺ phosphor. The optical properties of Sr₂MgSi₂O₇:Dy³⁺ phosphor was investigated utilizing thermoluminescence (TL), photoluminescence (PL), long lasting phosphorescence and mechanoluminescence (ML). Under the ultraviolet excitation, the emission spectra of Sr₂MgSi₂O₇:Dy³⁺ phosphor are composed of a broad band and the characteristic emission of Dy³⁺ peaking at 470 nm (blue), 575 nm (yellow) and 678 nm (red), originating from the transitions of ⁴F_9/2 → ⁶H_15/2, ⁴F_9/2 → ⁶H_13/2 and ⁴F_9/2 → ⁶H_11/2. CIE color coordinates of Sr₂MgSi₂O₇:Dy³⁺ are suitable as white light emitting phosphor. Decay graph indicate that this phosphor also contains fast decay and slow decay process. The peak of ML intensity increases linearly with increasing impact velocity of the moving piston. The possible mechanism of this white light emitting long lasting phosphor is also investigated.     

High‐efficiency quantum dot light‐emitting diodes with blue cadmium‐free quantum dots

We report outstanding electroluminescence properties of high‐efficiency blue cadmium‐free quantum dot light‐emitting diodes (QD‐LED). External quantum efficiency (EQE) of 14.7% was achieved for QD‐LED emitting at 428 nm. Furthermore, we developed high‐efficiency and narrow wavelength emission zinc selenide (ZnSe) nanocrystals emitting at 445 nm and achieved QD‐LED with an EQE of 10.7%. These new QDs have great potential to be used in next‐generation QD‐LED display with wide color gamut.     

Design considerations for highly efficient edge‐lit quantum dot displays

Quantum dots (QDs) are increasingly the technology of choice for wide color gamut displays. Two popular options to incorporate QDs into displays include on‐edge and on‐surface solutions. The opto‐mechanical design for an on‐edge QD solution including a LED light bar (“on‐edge QD light bar”) is more complex than the design for a standard white phosphor LED light bar. In this paper, we identify and investigate a range of design parameters for an on‐edge QD light bar, and we show that these parameters have significant influence on system efficiency and color uniformity. The effects of varying these parameters are explored through the use of a custom adjustable testbed and optical raytracing methods. Our testbed data demonstrate the inherent trade‐offs between efficiency and color uniformity and provide guidance for the design of high‐performing displays. The optical raytracing data demonstrate a good predictive capability and support the use of optical modeling methods for a detailed exploration of a wider range of design parameters.     

Analysis of color volume of multi‐chromatic displays using gamut rings

There are claims that multi‐chromatic displays can achieve a wider color gamut by the use of additional highly saturated secondary color channels. However, there are other claims that these displays lose lightness and/or color saturation at brighter levels. These apparently divergent views have led to some controversy in the display industry and at standard setting organizations. This study examines the color gamut volume for a variety of simulated and measured multi‐chromatic (sometimes incorrectly referred to as “multi‐primary”) displays using combinations of white and/or secondary color channels, such as cyan, magenta, and yellow. Furthermore, a two‐dimensional gamut representation, referred to as “gamut rings,” is introduced to illustrate that the addition of nonprimary optical color channels to a trichromatic (RGB) display can result in a significant decrease in the chroma at higher lightness levels. The additional saturated color channels can increase the gamut volume only around their hues at darker levels. The results also confirm the validity of comparing the color light output and white light output for revealing the design trade‐offs between the high‐peak white and the color‐image brightness for multi‐chromatic displays.     

Phosphors for plasma‐display panels: Demands and achieved performance

Almost two‐thirds of the discharge cells in plasma‐display panels (PDPs) are covered with phosphors. Beyond the efficient conversion of vacuum UV photons into visible light, the phosphor layer serves as a reflective mirror transporting light in the desired viewing direction. The quantum efficiency of state‐of‐the‐art PDP phosphors is, at its upper limit, 80–95%. Today's improved blue‐emitting BaMgAl₁₀O₁₇:Eu (BAM) phosphor still deteriorates during panel processing and operation, resulting in a loss of efficiency and color purity. A reduction in the phosphor particle size below 2 μm is suited to ease panel manufacturing and to improve light output.     

High‐resolution and high‐brightness full‐colour “Silicon Display” for augmented and mixed reality

High‐brightness micro‐LED display bonded onto silicon backplane has been successfully demonstrated. The 0.38‐inch full‐colour active matrix LED microdisplay system consists of 352 × 198 pixels. Each pixel is 24 μm square composed of red, green, and blue (RGB) subpixels corresponding to a pixel resolution of 1053 ppi. Quantum‐dot materials are formed on III‐nitride blue micro‐LED array to convert blue light into red and green for full‐colour operation. We have confirmed that this microdisplay, which we call “Silicon Display” has wide colour gamut exceeding 120% of sRGB. We describe the advantage of this colour‐converting approach for the full‐colour micro‐LEDs. Progress toward higher resolution is also described. Brightness of more than 30 000 cd/m² has been confirmed at a driving current density of 4 A/cm² for 3000 ppi blue monochrome micro‐LED prepared for full‐colour Silicon Display. We believe our “Silicon Display” is ideally suited for near‐to‐eye displays for augmented and mixed reality.