A team of researchers, which was led by Seoul National University and included teams from SN Display, Imperial College London, University of Cambridge, Hanyang University, KAIST, University of Tennessee, Universidad de Valencia, and PEROLED, has demonstrated a hierarchical-shell perovskite platform that delivers near-unity efficiency together with commercial-grade stability and full display-scale manufacturability. The team stated that this work could pave the way for next-generation vivid-color display technologies.
A HS enables lattice-interface interlocking, transforming colloidal perovskite nanocrystals into commercially viable solid-state emitters. Image from: Science
The researchers developed a hierarchical-shell architecture that chemically interlocks perovskite nanocrystals with inter-bonded PbSO₄, SiO₂, and polymer layers, suppressing lattice softening, ion migration, and interfacial degradation that previously limited stability. This design enabled solid-state perovskite nanocrystal films to reach a photoluminescence quantum yield of 100% and an external quantum yield of 91.4%, the highest reported among solid-state emitters such as phosphors, organic emitters, quantum dots, and other halide perovskites. Because the emitters retain intrinsically narrow linewidths of about 20 nm, they can satisfy and even exceed the Rec. 2020 color standard, allowing more vivid, lifelike colors than typical OLED and quantum-dot displays.
Under accelerated aging at 60 °C and 90% relative humidity, the stabilized perovskite nanocrystal films exhibit a T90 lifetime of 3,900 hours and an extrapolated T90 of 27,234 hours under continuous blue-light irradiation, surpassing conventional commercial reliability benchmarks. The hierarchical shell also blocks Pb²⁺ release into water and shows cytotoxicity levels comparable to standard polystyrene culture substrates, indicating improved safety for practical deployment. Furthermore, the materials are compatible with inkjet printing and high-resolution photolithography, enabling pixel densities above 3,500 pixels per inch for next-generation micro-LED and AR/VR displays.
Through collaboration with SN Display, the team translated this materials concept into large-area color-conversion films using 0.6 m × 3.2 m roll-to-roll printing that fits existing display manufacturing lines. With these films, they built prototype 10.1-inch tablets, 28-inch and 32-inch monitors, and 43-inch and 75-inch TVs that deliver uniform brightness and hyper-realistic colors, achieving more than 97% of the Rec. 2020 color-gamut area. SN Display’s product portfolio of perovskite nanocrystals, resins, and down-conversion films, designed for ≥95% Rec. 2020 coverage and ≥90% PLQE, aligns with this work and targets energy-efficient smartphones, monitors, TVs, and AR/VR displays.
Within the broader ecosystem, PEROLED and academic partners at Imperial College London, the University of Cambridge, Hanyang University, KAIST, the University of Tennessee, and Universidad de Valencia contribute expertise spanning perovskite chemistry, device physics, and display integration, reinforcing a globally coordinated drive toward next-generation perovskite-based emissive and color-conversion displays. Together, these advances indicate that perovskite emitters are evolving from a laboratory curiosity into a core industrial technology for high-color-purity, energy-efficient displays.
