Quantum-dot technology will bring improvements to both the color gamat and efficiency of LCD displays. We have previously covered QD Vision’s quantum-dot research and development and while QD Vision has resolved to develop LED lighting products first, another company, Nanosys, has been making significant progress in bringing their own quantum-dot technology to consumer electronics products.

During 2010, Nanosys has transformed its quantum dot technology into QuantumRail, a process-ready component for LCD color displays. Nanosys has announced a commercial partnership with Samsung Electronics and a commercial agreement for the application of QuantumRail to mobile device LCD displays with LG Innotek. The LG mobile devices are expected to be available from early 2011 and a prototype with a color gamut expanded by 30 percent has already been exhibited.

While LED backlighting of LCD displays is more efficient, some 90 percent of the light generated is blocked and discarded by the filters which are in place to produce the red, green and blue (RGB) sub-pixel colors. The Nanosys QuantumRail add-on for blue LED display backlights converts some of the blue light into red and green light of narrowly defined wavelengths targeted to match the LCD sub-pixel filters. This compensates for the less than perfect spectrum of wavelengths (colors) produced by the LEDs.

A QuantumRail is a thin capillary structure which can be attached to a backlight and contains a suspension of quantum dots for light conversion. The optical properties of quantum dots are dictated by their nanoscale dimensions making it possible to tune quantum dots to precisely what color they will emit by careful dimensional control.

It is because of the essential requirement for mobile devices, such as smartphones and media tablets, to minimize power use that Nanosys and its partners is targeting them first. Nanosys also has developed another nanotechnology product, SiNANOde which will significantly increase the capacity of lithium ion batteries by 30 percent or more also benefiting mobile consumer electronics devices.