Atomic layer deposition in advanced display technologies: from photoluminescence to encapsulation

Driven by the growing demand for next-generation displays, the development of advanced luminescent materials with exceptional photoelectric properties is rapidly accelerating, with such materials including quantum dots and phosphors, etc. Nevertheless, the primary challenge preventing the practical application of these luminescent materials lies in meeting the required durability standards. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has, therefore, been employed to stabilize luminescent materials, and as a result, flexible display devices have been fabricated through material modification, surface and interface engineering, encapsulation, cross-scale manufacturing, and simulations. In addition, the appropriate equipment has been developed for both spatial ALD and fluidized ALD to satisfy the low-cost, high-efficiency, and high-reliability manufacturing requirements. This strategic approach establishes the groundwork for the development of ultra-stable luminescent materials, highly efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and thin-film packaging. Ultimately, this significantly enhances their potential applicability in LED illumination and backlighted displays, marking a notable advancement in the display industry. To address the challenges of stability and efficiency in luminescent materials for displays, atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been incorporated across different scales of manufacturing.ALD is utilized for the precise passivation and surface coating of nanocrystals and phosphors, thereby enhancing the stability of luminescent materials.ALD is employed to fabricate dual hole injection layers, electron transport layers, and fill in the emissive layers while modifying the interface between these functional layers.Composite barrier functional layers are designed and fabricated, bolstering both flexibility and stability for encapsulation.