Professor Lee's Team Develops Mass Production Method for Ultra-High Purity Perovskite Nanocrystals
A research team led by Professor Tae-Woo Lee from Seoul National University, in collaboration with SN Display Co., Ltd., has developed a new method for the mass production of ultra-high color purity perovskite nanocrystals (PeNCs). These nanocrystals are a core material for next-generation displays.
The study, published in Nature on February 18, 2026, demonstrated that 100% photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) can be maintained from laboratory to industrial scale production.
Background on Display Technology
The current display market focuses on an immersive visual experience, requiring displays to support a wider color gamut to meet the Rec. 2020 standard. This standard represents a 40% expansion in color range compared to the current DCI-P3 standard. Existing organic emitters and quantum dots have relatively wide full widths at half maximum (FWHM) of 50 nm and 30 nm, respectively, which limits their ability to meet this standard.
Perovskite emitters, however, feature an exceptionally narrow FWHM of approximately 20 nm, positioning them as a viable material to satisfy the Rec. 2020 standard.
Their high color purity, optoelectronic properties, and low material costs make them suitable for ultra-high definition TVs and immersive applications like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) displays.
The New 'Cold-Injection' Synthesis Method
The team introduced the 'Cold-injection' method for synthesizing high-quality PeNCs under ambient conditions, addressing limitations of existing production techniques.
Limitations of Previous Methods:
- 'Hot-injection' method: Required high temperatures (above 150 °C), posing safety risks and necessitating specialized facilities to block oxygen and moisture.
- Room temperature synthesis methods: Such as 'ligand-assisted reprecipitation', faced issues with inconsistent quality and reduced productivity during mass production due to rapid precipitation.
Advantages of 'Cold-Injection':
- Operates at temperatures near 0 °C, eliminating heat-related safety concerns.
- Reduces production costs as it does not require specialized facilities.
- Highly suitable for mass synthesis.
Discovery of 'Pseudo-Emulsion' Mechanism:
The team discovered a 'pseudo-emulsion' mechanism during the 'Cold-injection' process.
This state, combined with the cold temperature environment, slows down the crystal formation rate. This mechanism suppresses defect formation and allows for the creation of highly crystalline, uniform PeNCs, ensuring consistent high productivity even when scaled up.
Commercialization and Performance
The 'Cold-injection' method is expected to accelerate the commercialization of perovskite emitters.
The research team achieved near-unity PLQY (~100%) even when scaled up to a large 20-liter reactor, matching laboratory-scale results.
Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes (PeLEDs) utilizing these mass-produced PeNCs recorded an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 29.6%. In collaboration with SN Display Co., Ltd., color conversion films based on these PeNCs were integrated into tablet displays, demonstrating their commercial potential.
Professor Tae-Woo Lee stated that this achievement is anticipated to serve as a catalyst for accelerating the commercialization of perovskite technology in the next-generation display market.