updated 05:23 pm EDT, Thu June 7, 2012
Film uses trillions of quantum dots for 50 percent color increase
Nanosys and the Optical Systems division of 3M are collaborating on a way to improve LCD screens. The Quantum Dot Enhancement Film (QDEF) uses the light emitting properties of quantum dots to enhance the backlight for LCDs, improving color by a claimed 50 percent compared to normal methodologies.
Quantum dots are 10,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair, and emit light at a specific wavelength. By controlling the spectral output of a quantum dot, the QDEF can use trillions of the dots in a thin film to enhance the color range and brightness.
In a bid to commercialize the technique, 3M and Nanosys have made the film in such a way that it can replace an already existing yet similar film used in LCD backlight production, thus letting manufacturers add QDEF without buying new equipment or significantly changing the manufacturing processes.