How small is a nanometer? If you can fathom just how small a nanometer is, then you might come close to being able to visualise how Samsung engineers have managed to pioneer a revolution in displays through cadmium-free quantum dot technology.

Quantum dots are semiconductor particles that have transformed how we experience color and light on our TV screens, and over the years, Samsung has paved the way for commercialisation to bring quantum dot technology to the forefront of its TV range. This includes the brand’s QLED and OLED range, which delivers the highest level of colour accuracy and brightness.

If you own a Samsung QLED or OLED TV, you might already have experienced a better, brighter visual experience. Powered by quantum dot technology, Samsung’s premium range of TVs are great for gamers, sports fans, and entertainment aficionados who love an immersive viewing experience of their favourite content.

The journey toward the democratisation of quantum dot TVs has come with a remarkable challenge: not only to offer high-quality experience to consumers, but also to ensure user safety. In this conversation with Yohan Zondak, Head of Visual Display, Samsung Southeast Asia and Oceania, we take a closer look at the scientific breakthroughs, the challenges, as well as the future of this groundbreaking technology that has redefined what is possible for home entertainment.

Q:         Tell us more about Samsung’s journey to cadmium-free quantum dot technology.

A:         Quantum dot technology made waves in the beginning, thanks to the technology enabling superior colour reproduction and contrast. However, the technology at the time required the use of cadmium composites. This was a grave issue as cadmium is one of ten substances that are strictly regulated under the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive, which intends to limit the amount of hazardous chemicals in electronics. Simply put, cadmium is a toxic material that is harmful to both human health and the environment.

We then asked ourselves this question: How might we achieve the exceptional colour performance that quantum dots can bring, but without using cadmium altogether?

This took some effort, but in 2014, we successfully patented the world’s first cadmium-free quantum dot material using indium phosphide as a viable alternative in quantum dot displays that could deliver comparable performance as compared to cadmium composites.

This breakthrough did take a significant amount of effort to realise, as indium phosphide composites is chemically less stable than cadmium composites. This required the innovation of specialised polymer materials for the quantum dot film, as well as new stabilisation techniques to ensure that these cadmium-free quantum dots could withstand sufficient temperatures and light exposure without degradation.

Most significant was the overall environmental impact of this discovery. By removing cadmium from the picture for our QLED TVs, we managed to eliminate the potential use of a toxic substance from millions of homes, while still delivering the vivid colours and brightness consumers expect.

Q:         What should consumers look for in genuine quantum dot technology?

A:         In Samsung’s QLED TVs, quantum dots function as the core material that converts or emits light. This makes the quantum dots a necessary part of how the display works. However, as Samsung’s QLED technology has gained recognition for its superior picture quality, we’ve also observed the term “QLED” adopted as a marketing label across the industry and hope to help consumers gain a better understanding of what a genuine QLED TV should deliver.

There are three things that consumers should look out for in authentic quantum dot displays.

First is the total amount of quantum dot content—Samsung’s QLED TVs contain a large amount of actual quantum dot material, well above the minimum threshold to bring about meaningful colour enhancement qualities in red and green.

Second is the presence of specialised quantum dot optical components, which separate the colour-determining part from the LED backlight. This is what allows us to achieve both colour accuracy and brightness levels of up to 2,000 nits in our displays. The quality of this quantum dot film also plays a key role in enabling rich colour expressions as well as impacting both the performance and lifespan of the quantum dot TV.

Third, is the absence of cadmium. Samsung has invested significantly in developing safer quantum dot TVs without compromising visual performance. To date, we have secured around 150 patents for our cadmium-free quantum dot technology.

Q:         What is Samsung’s approach to consumer trust and authenticity in its QLED offerings?

A:         Maintaining consumer trust begins with transparency. We have clearly defined what makes a genuine quantum dot display. In this case, a quantum dot display is one that uses quantum dots for photoconversion or photoemission as its core display technology. We want our customers to understand what they are buying.

To ensure authenticity, we look to rigorous third-party validation. For example, our cadmium-free quantum dot technology is certified by SGS, a global leader in testing and certification. We also adhere to Common Criteria certification that assesses the security integrity of IT products; our Knox security platform is integrated into our 2024 TV lineup, has received this certification for ten consecutive years.

In addition, when the Nature Nanotechnology scientific journal surveyed world-renowned experts about what they would consider a proper product based on nanotechnology back in 2019, the consensus pointed to quantum dot-enhanced displays. In summary, the same QLED TVs that Samsung have made.

We believe consumers deserve both exceptional performance and peace of mind. That is why we have invested in developing not just better displays, but safer ones too. By eliminating harmful substances like cadmium, as well as integrating advanced security through Samsung Knox, we demonstrate that premium performance does not have to come with compromises.

Q:         How is Samsung’s QLED technology evolving to meet new demands in home entertainment?

A:         The ongoing evolution of quantum dot technology for entertainment is due to its core strengths of precise colour reproduction, high brightness, and remarkable energy efficiency. These factors are increasingly important as the content that we consume becomes more sophisticated.

One of the development pathways that we are looking at involves electroluminescent quantum dots, where the quantum dots themselves convert electrical energy directly into light, which has the potential to bring display technology to the nano-level.

Today, we are already integrating AI capabilities with our display technology to enhance the viewing experience. Samsung Vision AI enables your Samsung TV to deliver exceptional enhancements in picture and sound quality, for example. On-device AI picture and sound technologies analyse content and environmental factors in real-time, dynamically adjusting visuals and audio for an optimised experience.

At the end of the day, our goal is to make viewers feel like they are immersed in the content, rather than consuming it through a medium. With each evolution of our quantum dot technology and other displays, we get closer to this vision becoming reality.

This approach has been instrumental in enabling us to lead the global TV market for 19 consecutive years since 2006, with our QLED TVs commanding half of the market share in their category. 

Quantum dots have attracted attention as next-generation material for a wide range of applications including displays, medical devices and solar cells. In 2014, Samsung Electronics developed the world’s first no-cadmium quantum dot material and successfully commercialized quantum dot technology with its SUHD TVs. Since 2017, the company has continued to build on its legacy of quantum dot mastery through QLED — its own quantum dot TV series. Samsung Newsroom explored how quantum dots are taking Samsung displays to the next level.

Quantum Dots: The Next Generation of Display Innovation

Quantum dots are ultra-fine semiconductor particles that are tens of thousands of times thinner than a human hair. Since inception, their physical characteristics that allow them to provide the highest level of color accuracy and brightness among existing materials had them positioned to revolutionise display technology.

When used in displays, quantum dots support a wide color gamut that closely matches colors perceived by the human eye and facilitate pixel-level light adjustment for more accurate black levels. Emitting light in all directions, quantum dots deliver uniform luminance and consistent color from any viewing angle while minimising blue light exposure for a more comfortable viewing experience.

What Sets Quantum Dot TVs Apart: Content, Film Quality and No-Cadmium Technology

The TV industry continues research and development into the commercialisation of quantum dots as the material becomes a game-changer in display technology. For that reason, a variety of quantum dot TVs have hit the market recently — offering a wide range of options to customers.

However, key differences in quantum dot TVs lie in how the technology is implemented and the overall quality of the display. To ensure a premium viewing experience, factors such as the amount of quantum dot content, the quality of quantum dot film and the use of no-cadmium materials must be considered.

Quantum Dot Content

The true quality of a quantum dot TV is defined by its quantum dot content. The quantum dot film requires a minimum of 3,000 parts per million (ppm) of the material to achieve the vivid, rich picture quality and color expression that only quantum dots can deliver.

Quantum Dot Film

Samsung QLEDs eliminate the need for a separate phosphor layer, enhancing light and energy efficiency while delivering more vivid colors. A quantum dot OLED (QD-OLED), which consists of a thin-film transistor (TFT) layer,^[1] a self-emitting light source and a quantum dot film that uses the light emitted from the light source, takes a step further enhancing picture quality. In either case, a dedicated quantum dot film that contains sufficient quantum dots is key in delivering top-class picture quality and longevity.

No Cadmium

In the early stages of developing quantum dot TVs, cadmium was essential to achieving the key benefits of quantum dots such as color reproduction and contrast ratio. At the time, cadmium was considered the most efficient material for producing quantum dots.

However, cadmium’s toxicity became a significant obstacle to the commercialisation of quantum dot technology. The element posed serious threats to the environment — making its widespread use difficult despite being the most suitable material for implementing quantum dot technology.

In response to this challenge, Samsung developed the world’s first no-cadmium quantum dot material in 2014 and successfully commercialised quantum dot technology with its SUHD TVs in the following year to open a new era of quantum dot TVs.

10 Years of Quantum Dot Innovation and Leadership

Samsung has quickly recognised the potential of quantum dot technology and led innovation in the global display market over the past decade through continuous research and investment.

Samsung began researching and developing quantum dot technology in 2001 — at a time when there was limited research on non-cadmium materials. Achieving vivid colors required making the nano-sized particles uniform, but the lack of technology and research made mass production extremely challenging.

Despite these obstacles, Samsung succeeded in creating a no-cadmium nanocrystal material in 2014. Since then, the company has accumulated extensive expertise — registering more than 150 patents — and continuously worked on advancing the technology. Samsung’s long-standing commitment culminated in 2015 when the company unveiled the world’s first SUHD TVs with no-cadmium quantum dot technology.

Samsung’s QLED lineup was revealed in 2017, setting a new standard for premium TVs that overcame the limitations of OLED TVs. By applying metal quantum dot technology, Samsung achieved the Digital Cinema Initiative’s color standard DCI-P3 and achieved 100% color volume for the first time in the world — thereby presenting unparalleled color expression. Notably, the use of inorganic quantum dot technology protected the screens from burn-in^[2] to ensure consistent picture quality over time.

Following its success in developing a red light-emitting element for displays in 2019, the company enhanced the luminous efficiency of blue self-emitting QLEDs — considered the most challenging to implement among the three primary QLED colors^[3] — to an industry-leading 20.2%.

“Discovering a blue material for self-emitting QLEDs and demonstrating industry-leading performance at the device level were significant achievements of this research,” said Dr. Eunjoo Chang, a fellow at Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology. “Samsung’s distinctive quantum dot technology has once again overcome technical barriers.”

This cutting-edge advancements led to the launch of the QD-OLED TVs, making history at CES 2022 by winning the Best of Innovation award for integrating quantum dot technology and OLED displays.

Samsung remains dedicated to advancing quantum dot technology through continuous innovation. The company continues to invest in leading display technology — from QLED to Neo OLED — by offering high brightness, color accuracy and frequency. Driven by Samsung’s unrivaled quantum dot innovations, the future of display technology is brighter than ever.

^[1] An electronic circuit that adjusts and controls the light-emitting layers

^[2] Occurs when a static image is displayed for too long, causing color distortions or ghost images to remain on screen

^[3] Red, green and blue