World's smallest LED? Only 90 nanometers?

Recently, it was learned from the official website of Zhejiang University that the school's research team has developed micron and nano perovskite LED, breaking the new limit of LED size to reach 90 nm, this size data is currently the world's smallest known pixel size LED, its related academic research results have been published in the UK local time on March 19 in the international authoritative academic journal "Nature". The future of display technology has aroused widespread concern in the world.

It is understood that after the research team of Zhejiang University first proposed the concept of "micro-perovskite LED" in 2021, through a series of material verification and process innovation, the luminous efficiency of the LED is effectively ensured, so that the perovskite LED with pixel size from hundreds of microns to 90 nanometers can be manufactured, and at the same time, maintain superior performance.

In the field of electronics science, the process of continuously reducing the size of basic devices is downscaling. Downscaling has led technological developments in computer science, information display, and human-computer interaction. From the first red LED to today's wide color gamut, rich colors of various screens and AR, VR glasses, the miniaturization of devices has become a goal that scientists continue to pursue.

Downscaling technology, which in electronics science refers to the process of reducing the size of a device, has become the code of the technological revolution in computer science, information display, and human-computer interaction. In this revolution, MicroLED is undoubtedly the ultimate representative of display technology, especially in ultra-high-definition, ultra-precision photoelectric display. Perovskite LED as a new light source, because of its unique advantages of color purity and color gamut width, has become the favorite in many fields of display, lighting and communication.

Professor David Diede said that inspired by the miniaturization research of micro-light-emitting diodes of group ⅲ-V semiconductors, the manufacture of micro-perovskite leds with traditional lithography processes will destroy perovskite materials. To this end, the research team designed a set of local contact processes, through the patterned window made by lithography to ensure that the pixel area away from the electrode edge, can manufacture perovskite leds with pixel sizes from hundreds of microns to 90 nanometers, while ensuring the luminous efficiency of the LED.

The micron and nano perovskite leds developed by the research team only began to show a size reduction effect when the size was reduced to about 180 nm, and the efficiency was reduced to 50% of the highest value. Professor David Di said that the team has worked with Hangzhou Link Technology to create a prototype of an active matrix micron LED microdisplay powered by a TFT backplane, capable of presenting complex images and videos. It is understood that micron and nano perovskite leds have great application potential in AR/VR display and other fields. In the future, this technology will bring revolutionary changes to the display field and promote the new development of the display, lighting and communication industries.

Maybe you'd like to know：http://www.news.zju.edu.cn/2025/0320/c764a3029191/page.htm