Photoaligned Nanorod Enhancement Films with Polarized Emission for Liquid‐Crystal‐Display Applications

• Published in: Advanced materials (Weinheim) Vol. 29; no. 33
• Main Authors: Srivastava, Abhishek K., Zhang, Wanlong, Schneider, Julian, Rogach, Andrey L., Chigrinov, Vladimir G., Kwok, Hoi‐Sing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.09.2017
• Subjects: Anchoring; Backlights; Brightness; Color; Flat panel displays; LCDs; liquid crystal display; Liquid crystal displays; liquid crystal polymer; Materials science; Nanorods; photoalignment; Polarization; polarized emission; Polarized light; Polymer films; Self-assembly; semiconductor nanorods; Thin films; liquid crystal polymer; photoalignment; semiconductor nanorods; liquid crystal display; polarized emission
• ISSN: 0935-9648; 1521-4095
• DOI: 10.1002/adma.201701091

Semiconductor nanorods (NR) emit polarized light, which is expected to bring manifold benefits, in terms of brightness and color enhancement, for modern liquid‐crystal displays (LCD). In this regard, photoaligned nanorod enhancement films (NREF) for color and polarization conversion for LCD backlights are introduced here. The photoinduced anchoring forces, by the photoalignment layer, stimulate well‐ordered self‐assembly of NR in the thin polymer films. Green and red emitting NR with a quantum yield of ≈80% are aligned unidirectionally and in‐plane, showing a polarization ratio of >7:1 and a degree of polarization of >0.81. The photoalignment technique facilitates the fabrication of mixed and multiple stacked NREF for LCDs, which improves the color gamut and polarization efficiency, and is thus expected to increase the optical efficiency of conventional LCDs by ≈60%. Semiconductor nanorods emit polarized light, which is expected to bring multiple benefits in terms of brightness and color enhancement, for modern liquid‐crystal displays (LCDs). Photoaligned nanorod enhancement films for color and polarization conversion for LCD backlights are introduced. The fabrication of mixed and multiple stacked films, with improved color gamut and polarization efficiency, is thus expected to increase the optical efficiency of conventional LCDs by ≈60%.