Samsung to Mass Produce EL-QD in 3-5 Years

Samsung Electronics is accelerating the development of electroluminescent quantum dot (EL-QD) technology, aiming to establish a dominant position in the display industry. EL-QD has the potential to reshape the high-end panel market, which is currently led by organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology. Leveraging its affiliated research capabilities, Samsung plans to commercialize EL-QD within the next few years.

According to industry sources, Samsung's Visual Display (VD) division is collaborating with the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) and Samsung Display to advance EL-QD technology.

EL-QD is regarded as a true quantum dot (QD) technology. Quantum dots are nanoscale semiconductor particles whose emitted light color is determined by their size and properties. Due to technical challenges, QD technology has so far been limited to thin-film applications, relying on a hybrid approach that integrates LED or OLED as the light source. This limitation has led to criticism that existing QD implementations only partially realize their full potential.

Developed through Samsung's subsidiaries, EL-QD enables quantum dots to emit light directly in response to electrical signals. This innovation surpasses OLED technology, which has been a key focus for Korean display manufacturers, positioning EL-QD as a disruptive force in the high-end display market. Current OLED panels offer self-emissive pixels, deep black levels, high contrast, and exceptional color reproduction while maintaining a lightweight design due to the use of organic materials. EL-QD retains these advantages while delivering superior color accuracy, energy efficiency, and durability. Experts believe that once stabilized, EL-QD could replace OLED technology in the future.

Samsung has set an internal goal to commercialize EL-QD within three to five years and is fully committed to advancing the technology. While technical challenges remain, the company is focused on enhancing the electrical properties of quantum dots to improve stability and increase luminous efficiency under the same power input.