QLEDs Meet Wearable Devices

-          Korean scientists develop ultra-thin deformable QLEDs in the wearable platform.

The scientific team, from the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) and Seoul National University, has developed an ultra-thin wearable quantum dot light emitting diodes (QLEDs). The electronic tattoo is based on current quantum dot light emitting diode (QLED) technology. Colloidal quantum dot (QLED’s) have attracted great attention as next generation displays. The quantum dots (QDs) have unique properties such as the color tunability, photo/air stability, and are printability on various substrates. The device is paper thin and can be applied to human skin like a sticker.

The team developed the high performance red, green, and blue QLED array, whose resolutions approach 2,500 pixels per inch. This resolution is far superior to other light emitting devices and displays on the market today including ones used in the latest smartphones. The technique is readily scalable over large area. Devices are adaptable to deformed states and thereby built on the unconventional curvilinear substrates including surfaces of various objects. Further mechanical deformations, such as stretching or wrinkling, are also adopted in this technology, which enables QLEDs on the human skin. This breakthrough highlights new possibilities for integrating high-definition full color displays in wearable electronics.

The article was published in Nature Communications in May, 2015. The link for the publication is as follows (http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2015/150514/ncomms8149/full/ncomms8149.html).

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Notes for editors

-          References

9* Title of Paper: Wearable red–green–blue quantum dot light-emitting diode array using high-resolution intaglio transfer printing, NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8149

9* Authors: Moon Kee Choi, Jiwoong Yang, Kwanghun Kang, Dong Chan Kim, Changsoon Choi, Chaneui Park, Seok Joo Kim, Sue In Chae, Tae-Ho Kim, Ji Hoon Kim, Taeghwan Hyeon & Dae-Hyeong Kim

-          For further information or to request media assistance, please contact: Mr. Shi Bo Shim, Head of Department of Communications, Institute for Basic Science (+82-42-878-8189; sibo@ibs.re.kr) or Ms. Sunny Kim, Department of Communications, Institute for Basic Science (+82-42-878-8135; Sunnykim@ibs.re.kr)

-          About Institute for Basic Science (IBS)
The IBS was founded in 2011 by the government of the Republic of Korea. With the sole purpose of driving forward the development of basic science in Korea, IBS will be comprised of a total of 50 research centers in all fields of basic science, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, life science, earth science and interdisciplinary science. IBS has launched 24 research centers as of January 2015. There are one mathematics, eight physics, six chemistry, seven life science, and two interdisciplinary research centers.