Ultrathin Quantum Dot Display Wearable Electronics shows animated tattoo display

Translational Flextronics Group aims to develop technologies for high performance flexible and stretchable electronic devices by using high quality nano-scale materials, which enable new biomedical and energy systems with novel/multiple functions.

A video of an ultrathin 16×16 QLED display shows an animated cartoon character attached to human skin.

Advanced Materials – Ultrathin Quantum Dot Display Integrated with Wearable Electronics

Abstract

An ultrathin skin-attachable display is a critical component for an information output port in next-generation wearable electronics. In this regard, quantum dot (QD) light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) offer unique and attractive characteristics for future displays, including high color purity with narrow bandwidths, high electroluminescence (EL) brightness at low operating voltages, and easy processability. Here, ultrathin QLED displays that utilize a passive matrix to address individual pixels are reported. The ultrathin thickness (≈5.5 µm) of the QLED display enables its conformal contact with the wearer’s skin and prevents its failure under vigorous mechanical deformation. QDs with relatively thick shells are employed to improve EL characteristics (brightness up to 44 719 cd m−2 at 9 V, which is the record highest among wearable LEDs reported to date) by suppressing the nonradiative recombination. Various patterns, including letters, numbers, and symbols can be successfully visualized on the skin-mounted QLED display. Furthermore, the combination of the ultrathin QLED display with flexible driving circuits and wearable sensors results in a fully integrated QLED display that can directly show sensor data.