We've likely been looking at quantum dot (QD) technology all day. We might be looking at it right now. Whether it’s the glow of our smart televisions or personal mobile phone screens, or the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in consumer and commercial applications we encounter at work, the technology is virtually everywhere.
In this week's New Tech Tuesdays, we'll look at QD-based applications in lighting products from ams, OSRAM, and New Energy.
QDs are man-made luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals that can emit electrons. QDs are 1.5nm to 10nm in size. One nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. They're commonly referred to as artificial atoms.
When ultraviolet light hits these semiconducting nanoparticles, they emit light of various colors. These artificial semiconductor nanoparticles have applications in various electronics such as solar cells (photovoltaics), transistors, LEDs, medical imaging, and quantum computing.
QD-based materials have purer colors, longer lifetimes, lower manufacturing costs, and lower power consumption. You might have heard of QLED TVs as early as 2015. QDs have been around since the early 1980s.
The most commonly known use of QDs might be television screens. According to The Business Research Co1., the growing demand for smart TVs and mobile phones is expected to propel the growth of the QD market.
Because QDs can be applied to nearly any substrate material, it opens the doors for the design of printable and flexible—even rollable—QD displays of all sizes.
Design engineers and consumers also can choose from lighting-specific products featuring QD applications in LEDs.
ams OSRAM OSCONIQ® E 2835 LEDs are mid-power LEDs available in QD and cyan enhanced. They're applicable for indoor and outdoor lighting. The LEDs pack high efficacy, low thermal resistance, and a wide beam angle in a 2.8mm x 3.5mm package, enabling a simple design system. The E 2835 QD is used in museums, retail, health care, and human-centric office lighting. E 2835 can be found in area lights, downlights and spotlights, and table lamps. The E 2835 cyan enhanced are used in industrial, educational, aero, and human-centric lighting.
Designers will appreciate the New Energy OSRAM S3030 Quantum Dot Linear LED Modules. They're designed to Zhaga standards in a 22-inch configuration that makes the modules ideal for panel or linear lights. They include push terminals for quick and simple wiring. The LEDs can be paired with a standard driver for a complete light engine. They're flexible enough to support a range of specialty indoor applications including indoor lighting, office, retail, hospitality, and transportation area lighting fixtures.
Smart TVs and mobile phones now use quantum dot technology, and the technology is making its way into office lighting as well. Additionally, QD technology is expanding into biomedical devices and solar cells. With QD technology, we can look forward to a brighter more colorful world.
1. The Business Research Company. “The Quantum Dot Market Growth Sees Rate of 25% With The Rising Demand For Smart TVs And Mobile Phones As Per The Business Research Company's Quantum Dot Global Market Report 2022.” The Business Research Company, March 15, 2022. https://www.globenewswire.com/.
Tommy Cummings is a freelance writer/editor based in Texas. He's had a journalism career that has spanned more than 40 years. He contributes to Texas Monthly and Oklahoma Today magazines. He's also worked at The Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, San Francisco Chronicle, and others. Tommy covered the dot-com boom in Silicon Valley and has been a digital content and audience engagement editor at news outlets. Tommy worked at Mouser Electronics from 2018 to 2021 as a technical content and product content specialist.