By Yoon Sung-won
Kim Dae-hyeong, a researcher at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), has developed an advanced, flexible display cell called a quantum dot light emitting diode (QLED) for the first time in the world.
The research institute, an affiliated organization of the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, said Thursday the new flexible display cell is attachable to human skin and thus is expected to dramatically improve wearable devices.
"This is the world's first ultra high-definition QLED which complements thickness and inflexibility of existing wearable devices," Kim said. "This means that we have definitely surpassed other advanced countries such as the United States in the LED sector. We can mass produce the display cells once we develop manufacturing process technology."
The new flexible display cell is only 2.6-micrometer think. This is about 1-40th of a human hair.
It is capable of supporting up to 2,460 pixels-per-inch (ppi) resolution compared with those of latest smartphones such as Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S6 with 577 ppi, LG Electronics' G3 with 538 ppi and Apple's iPhone 6 with 326 ppi, he said.
"We have started researching the QLED because we believed it can be used to produce ultrathin and flexible display panels," Kim said. "We aimed at developing an LED display cell that can excel the current resolution capacity of existing display cells."
The QLED is an advanced display cell from the organic light emitting diodes. It uses nano-size materials called quantum dot and can produce more vivid color.
Technologically advanced countries such as the United States have worked to develop the display cell but none of them have succeeded in commercializing it so far.
Kim said, "The new display cell is thin like paper and can be attached to human skin like stickers. This means that it can be used for ultra high-definition display panel of wearable devices."
Kim said his team has submitted a patent application of the research achievement in Korea early this year and is preparing to do so globally. The research result was registered with the global academic journal Nature Communications on Thursday, Kim said.
The global market for small and medium-sized display panels for smartphones and tablet computers is $43 billion in size and is led by Korean companies such as LG Display. The size of wearable device market is estimated at $10.2 billion and has recorded 40 percent annual growth on average.
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The research institute, an affiliated organization of the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, said Thursday the new flexible display cell is attachable to human skin and thus is expected to dramatically improve wearable devices.
"This is the world's first ultra high-definition QLED which complements thickness and inflexibility of existing wearable devices," Kim said. "This means that we have definitely surpassed other advanced countries such as the United States in the LED sector. We can mass produce the display cells once we develop manufacturing process technology."
The new flexible display cell is only 2.6-micrometer think. This is about 1-40th of a human hair.
It is capable of supporting up to 2,460 pixels-per-inch (ppi) resolution compared with those of latest smartphones such as Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S6 with 577 ppi, LG Electronics' G3 with 538 ppi and Apple's iPhone 6 with 326 ppi, he said.
"We have started researching the QLED because we believed it can be used to produce ultrathin and flexible display panels," Kim said. "We aimed at developing an LED display cell that can excel the current resolution capacity of existing display cells."
The QLED is an advanced display cell from the organic light emitting diodes. It uses nano-size materials called quantum dot and can produce more vivid color.
Technologically advanced countries such as the United States have worked to develop the display cell but none of them have succeeded in commercializing it so far.
Kim said, "The new display cell is thin like paper and can be attached to human skin like stickers. This means that it can be used for ultra high-definition display panel of wearable devices."
Kim said his team has submitted a patent application of the research achievement in Korea early this year and is preparing to do so globally. The research result was registered with the global academic journal Nature Communications on Thursday, Kim said.
The global market for small and medium-sized display panels for smartphones and tablet computers is $43 billion in size and is led by Korean companies such as LG Display. The size of wearable device market is estimated at $10.2 billion and has recorded 40 percent annual growth on average.
