Science Daily September 27, 2021
Researchers in South Korea have demonstrated that 3D foldable quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) can be created using laser patterning and metal etch-stop layers with customized ablation thresholds. The approach allows etching to be limited to selected layers of the multilayered QLEDs, and it can be precisely tuned by using alloy-type etch-stop layers. The approach can be used to create QLED architectures with extremely small bending radii (0.047 mm). They have illustrated its capabilities by fabricating a 3D foldable passive matrix array of QLEDs that can display letters and numbers. The entire QLED including the crease region (a fold line) was able to maintain a stable light-emitting performance even when after it was repeatedly folded 500 times. They fabricated 3D foldable QLEDs with various complex shapes such as butterflies, airplanes, and pyramids. The technology can provide unprecedented opportunities for next-generation electronics with user-customized form factors with complex structures, as well as allowing for dynamic three-dimensional display of visual information…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ
Three-dimensional folding of ultrathin QLEDs using laser-assisted selective patterning. Credit: Nature Electronics volume 4, pages671–680 (2021)Â