Quantum Materials Corp - Technological Progress

Quantum Materials Corp - Technological Progress in the sectors of Display, Solar Energy and Solid State LED Lighting.

We have developed a high volume, low cost, continuous flow production process that produces extremely high purity Perovskite Quantum Dots (PQDs) with significantly improved stability at a fraction of the cost of the high purity silicon used in silicon solar cells. Perovskite quantum dots are leading a breakthrough in materials technology, but the commercialization of these materials has been hampered due to inabilities to produce large volumes of these materials at low cost points while still achieving long term reliability. PQDs have many unique properties that make them an ideal material for utilization in applications such as next generation solar cells and displays. For instance, in solar cells perovskites have demonstrated conversion efficiencies of 22.7% which is higher than today’s best dye-sensitized or thin-film technologies (CiGS, CdTe) and can also extend efficiency (up to 1.3x) of silicon PVs when coated as an absorption enhancement layer. High purity PQDs hold the promise to achieve high conversion efficiencies while also solving many of the reliability and stability challenges.

Next-generation quantum dot solar cell factories will use new thin-film flexographic roll-to-roll printing methods at a fraction of the capital expenditure of same-size silicon panel factories. Advantages of the flexographic method include the ability to potentially increase printing press speeds of up to 600 meters/minute with modern printers, large rolls that can be cut to finished size, low viscosity ink formulations for faster drying and the ability to bond layers of the solar cell together in-line. Production can be scaled-up by increasing the running speed without a large increase in infrastructure costs and is a major factor in lowering the levelized cost of energy over the life of the production system.

As a phosphor replacement in flat panel displays, PQDs have the potential to provide industry best color gamut picture qualities due to their extremely narrow emission wavelength profile. For comparison, todays industry leading low cadmium or cadmium free QLED displays can only deliver roughly an 80% Rec 2020 coverage while PQDs have the ability to deliver roughly a 98% Rec 2020 coverage (with properties that include: PLQY>95%, FWHM <25 nm and adjustable peak position). As we are approaching the final stage of bringing to market our first commercial level red-green QD infused film component, we see tremendous potential in advancing the performance level of our QD based film components even further with the incorporation of PQD’s to bring the color gamut up to nearly 100% of the new color standard Rec 2020 coverage, which will set a new standard in flat panel display color.

We have successfully surpassed the one year anniversary and exceeding 10,000 hour continuous on-time durability test for the Company’s cadmium-free quantum dots in a remote light emitting diode (LED) application. The QD-LEDs were under continuous power at 2.5 Volts DC at 70mA and were measured initially, incrementally and at the 7000 hour mark with no measurable degradation of intensity, peak emission or FWHM, which is the measure for color purity. Passing the One year (7000 hour) mark for continuous on time is a major achievement in proving our quantum dots and our encapsulation technologies can enable QD-LED’s and the wide range of potential QD-LED applications. Through this development effort we have also made significant discoveries that have improved performance of our electroluminescent quantum dot materials, paving the way for next generation display and lighting applications. Our team continues to demonstrate the extraordinary accelerated discovery that can be accomplished using our patented continuous flow process. This patented technologies in the hands of our brilliant scientist keep Quantum Materials on the forefront of nanomaterial implementation and discovery.

We are currently in the process of optimizing our remote QD-Phosphor display technology at the device level in an actual working 65" display in our San Marcos labs. Our super bright filmless display technology which has Rec2020 coverage over 90% will be ready for public debut. Many OEM's have already expressed strong interest in evaluating this technology when it is available for viewing.


Further elaboration on QDSC:

Photovoltaics describes the ability of a semiconductor materials to change light (photons) into electricity (excitons). A flexible polymer thin-film quantum dot solar cell uses a single layer (or multi-layers) of quantum dots to convert solar radiation to direct current electricity for significant material costs savings over silicon solar modules. When light strikes a quantum dot in a solar cell, excess energy can push an exciton out of its orbit around an atom in the quantum dot, then through a conductive polymer to the electrodes of the cell. The more this reaction occurs successfully, the higher quantum efficiency and wattage production of the system. QDSC have theoretically maximum potential quantum efficiency (PCE) of 65% compared to a maximum 29% PCE using current silicon module technology.