What is a QDCF?

Human color perception is determined by the eye’s sensitivity to different wavelengths of light. In well-lit conditions, the average human eye is spectrally sensitive to three peak wavelengths which are analogous to blue (460—480nm), green (520—550nm), and red (630—680nm). Typical display technologies exploit this characteristic by diving pixels into subpixels corresponding to these three primary colors. Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) modulate the spectral output of an entire display by varying the relative brightness of each subpixel using color filters.

This is the general principle that has underlined display technologies for decades, yet there are significant drawbacks to established color filtering technologies. Quantum dot color filters (QDCFs) are envisaged as the next generation in display technologies. This blog post will explore QDCFs in more detail.

Outlining the Principles of QDCFs

In principle, a QDCF would be used to replace the color filters of established display technologies with a layer of photoemissive QDs. Current generation QDLED displays utilize a monochromatic blue backlight which excites subsequent layers of red and green quantum dots before passing through a final glass or polymeric color filter. Theoretically, a QDCF would eliminate the need for both red and green QD layers as well as the color filter by amalgamating these components into one.

While standard RGB color filters work by subsequently and passively blocking wavelengths of light per subpixel, the spectral output of a QDCF display would be modulated in fewer layers. The visible blue light onscreen would be generated by the LED backlight which would be transmitted by a single subpixel in every pixel of the QDCF. Red and green nanocrystals in this layer would actively absorb the blue light and fluoresce their own respective colors.

Alternative architectural arrangements suggest removing the backlight entirely and directly exciting a layer of RGB QDs for the highest efficiency display technologies currently envisaged.

QDCF Technologies with Avantama

Currently, there are no electronic displays equipped with QDCF technology. Significant progress has been made towards revolutionizing the technology market with novel color filtering components that could enhance viewing angles, picture quality, and electrical efficiency.

If you would like to learn more about where the market and QDCF technology, read our previous blog post: The Progress of QD Color Filters.

Otherwise, contact us directly with any questions.