Vertical Micro-LED
South Korean researchers developed vertical micro LEDs. Micro LEDs have a shorter current path than horizontal thin film LEDs and, as such, emit less heat, have a lower resistance, and can achieve a higher level of optical efficiency.
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) announced on February 5 that its research team led by professor Lee Kun-jae designed its own equipment for the vertical LEDs and developed the flexible vertical micro LEDs by simultaneously transferring 2,500 thin film LEDs with a thickness of five micrometers to 80 micrometers.
According to the team belonging to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the newly developed technology can triple the optical efficiency of LEDs and deal with their short product lifespan attributable to heating, low resolution, and low reliability. In addition, the team succeeded in controlling the behavior of a mouse by inserting the micro LED into the brain of the mouse. This implies that the micro LEDs generating little heat can lead to the development of a flexible electronic system that can be applied to a living body without any damage to brain tissues.
The promising next-generation display technology characterized by its high efficiency and flexibility is expected to be used for various applications such as brain science. “It can be immediately applied to smart watches, mobile displays and wearable lights requiring low electric power consumption and it will be able to make a great contribution to the development of biomedical devices as well,” the professor explained. Details of the research have been published in the Nano Energy journal.