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TechWaTch Demand for Quantum Dots to Increase 20-Fold Over Next Decade By Guillaume Chansin, Senior Technology Analyst, IDTechEx Q
uantum dots (QDs), synthe- sized miniature semiconductor crystals, are teetering on the
edge of mass adoption. From a shaky entrance in bioscience in the early 1990s to a growing popularity in con- sumer electronics and manufactur- ing, the time may finally be right for the quantum dot. IDTechEx, a market research
firm that specializes in emerging technologies, has released a report which forecasts that the demand for quantum dots will increase signifi- cantly over the next 10 years. With applications for the semiconductors in photovoltaic cells, image sensors and panel displays, the company pre- dicts that the production of QDs will grow from less than 100kg in 2015 to over 2 metric tons in 2026 — a more than 20-fold increase. Attractive for several reasons,
quantum dots are small in size (2 to 10nm), emit only a single, pre-deter- mined wavelength of light, and can be created synthetically. The smaller the diameter of the crystal, the short-
er its wavelength. Larger crystals emit orange and red light, while smaller crystals emit blue and green. QDs are binary compounds of a
metal such as lead, cadmium or indi- um combined with selenium, phos- phorous, arsenic or sulfur. They can be created in a variety of ways and can be used in a colloidal solution, or as a solid. One of the simplest ways to create quantum dots involves com- bining chemicals under high pres- sure at a temperature of around 255°C, which forces crystals to form around the metal base. When put un- der ultraviolet light, or when an elec- tric current is passed through them, quantum dots fluoresce. The applications of quantum
dots range from health science and bi- ology, to electronic imaging systems and consumer electronics. Until re- cently, the process of QD creation has been much too expensive and time- consuming to practice large-scale. However, many manufacturers see po- tential in these tiny semiconductors, and are putting effort into discovering
new ways to produce and use them. In photovoltaic systems, a range
of quantum dots will harvest more of the visible spectrum, and waste less energy as heat. When absorbing light rays, QDs are able to release multi- ple excitons, rather than a single one per photon, which results in a stronger electrical current flowing through the system. In the consumer electronics
market, companies such as Samsung and Sony are developing television displays using QDs, with the promise of brighter colors and a 30 to 40 per- cent energy use reduction. Quantum Dot LEDs (QLED) are also being de- veloped by such specialized compa- nies as QD Vision and NanoPhotoni- ca, in hopes that the technology may be commercially viable earlier than its predicted year of 2020. QD-based displays may become less expensive to manufacture than OLED and LCDs, as they require no backlight, color filter, glass, or other optical ad- justment components. The QDs could be printed on thin and flexible mate- rial and would not be constrained by the size of the display. InVisage Technologies, a Cali-
fornia-based semiconductor compa- ny, has recently launched an image sensor which uses a quantum dot film, instead of silicon, to gather light. According to the company, its QuantumFilm Technology, which is a coat of quantum dots on an image sensor chip, allows it to capture up to 95 percent of incoming light. This im- mediately provides benefits that in-
clude high sensitivity in low light, and high resolution images. Also, as the QD film detects an entire image at once rather than top to bottom as in traditional sensors, images are captured quickly and are more sharply reproduced.
Possible Computer Applications In theory, quantum dots might
offer a basis for the field of quantum computing. Researchers are using quantum dots to practice controlling spin characteristics at the subatomic level. The aim is to create a computer that is able to perform a massive num- ber of calculations simultaneously, taking advantage of a phenomenon of quantum dynamics: entanglement. Quantum dots offer a variety of
new applications for electronics, with some calling the field the next “Wild West” of electronics materials, due to its relatively recent burst of publici- ty. Both quantum dot-only and hy- brid solar cells have been developed, as the materials offer adjustable light absorption. Quantum dot tech- nology will find applications in mi- croscopy, spectroscopy, image sens- ing platforms and many others. At any rate, the technology is sure to be- come more prevalent; IDTechEx ex- pects the market for quantum dot de- vices and components to grow to over
$11 billion by 2026. Contact: IDTechEx, 1 Boston
Place, Suite 2600, Boston, MA 02108 % 617-577-7890 fax: 617-577- 7810 E-mail:
info@idtechex.com Web:
www.idtechex.com r
Plasma Systems Improve Your
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February, 2016
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