Assuming that large color gamut and therefore better color reproducibility will be a highly desired feature of all displays as we look to the near future, we make the case in this paper that quantum dots (QDs) are currently the down-conversion technology of choice that will allow liquid crystal display makers to cost-effectively reach and exceed 100% of the NTSC (National Television Standard Committee) and Adobe RGB color standards while achieving maximum system efficiency. We will discuss in detail the numerous fundamental advantages of QDs over phosphors, along with their scientific origins, and make the case that QDs are the ultimate light generating material for next-generation displays.

Quantum dots (QDs) are a luminescent semiconductor nanomaterial technology that delivers exceptional color for liquid crystal display backlighting unit (LCD‐BLU) applications. We report on the scale‐up of the rapid‐injection, batch synthetic method, and compare it to other proposed manufacturing methods. A discussion of how to meet high volume QD production needs follows, consistent with current and future LCD volumes, and taking into account dominant implementation geometries.

Red, green and blue distributed feedback lasers based on dense colloidal CdSe quantum dot thin films were optically pumped in quasi-steady state. The red lasers showed 32% internal quantum efficiency and 400 μW output power.

We report a colour-saturated, red quantum-dot light-emitting device (QLED) using an inverted organic–inorganic hybrid device structure and colloidal CdSe–CdS (core–shell) quantum-dot emitters. The strong electronic coupling of quantum dots to an adjacent layer of ZnO nanocrystals (which form the electron transport layer) facilitates charge transfer, which is responsible for both injecting electrons and maintaining an optimal charge balance for the quantum dot emitters. We show that QLED performance can be modified by controlling the distance of the electroluminescence recombination zone within the quantum dot film from the quantum dot–ZnO interface. Devices are reported with a luminous efficiency of 19 cd A −1 , corresponding to an external quantum efficiency of 18% (which is close to the theoretical maximum of 20%) and an internal quantum efficiency of 90%. The corresponding luminous power efficiency exceeds 25 lm W −1 due to the low operating voltage of the device.

Colloidal quantum dots (CQD) are now making their entry to full-color displays, endowed by their brightness and single-material base. By contrast, many obstacles have been encountered in their use towards lasers. We demonstrate here optically pumped distributed feedback (DFB) lasers, based on close-packed, solid films self-assembled from type-I CQDs. Notably, the single mode CQD-DFB lasers could reach such a low threshold as to be pumpable with a compact pulsed source in a quasi-continuous wave regime. Our results show the spatially and temporally coherent laser beam outputs with power of 400 μW and a quantum efficiency of 32%.

We have reached the long-sought single exciton gain regime in dense colloidal II-VI semiconductor quantum dot films. Transient spectroscopy details their exciton dynamics, informing further development of single material based lasers across the visible.

Novel distributed feedback lasers were created in densely packed colloidal quantum dot single exciton gain media. The optically pumped lasers demonstrated internal efficiency of 28%, spatially coherent beams, average power of 400 μW.

Wavelength engineered nanocrystal colloidal quantum dots were used to create a thin solid films. Very low thresholds for light amplification were achieved in these red, green and blue film by a single exciton gain mechanism which also enables optical gain with quasi-steady pumping source.

Epitaxial-like colloidal quantum dot films are demonstrated as potential single material system for red, green, and blue lasing. These prospects derive in part from the access to single exciton gain in the optically dense films.

We report on wavelength-variable lasing from optical gain media composed of colloidal quantum-dots (CQD) thin films across the visible spectrum. Exploiting single exciton gain enables amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and vertical cavity lasing at very low optical pump thresholds. The average number of exciton per CQD at the ASE threshold is <;N>;~ 0.8, which significantly reduces losses from enhanced nonradiative multiexciton Auger recombination in nanometer sized semiconductor particle, enabling quasi-continuous-wave CQD laser performance in densely packed nanocomposites.