Stretched like rubber, still crystal clear: Korean researchers unveil world's brightest stretchable display

Korean researchers have developed a next-generation display technology that maintains image quality even when stretched like a rubber band. The new stretchable light-emitting device is more than three times brighter than existing stretchable displays and can be extended by 65 percent, opening new possibilities for commercializing next-generation displays in wearable devices and electronic skin.

Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) announced Tuesday that a research team led by Professor Yang Ji-woong of its Department of Energy Science and Engineering had jointly developed core technology for an ultra-high-resolution stretchable quantum-dot display, or QLED, in collaboration with Professor Choi Moon-ki's team at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) and a team led by Associate Director Kim Dae-hyeong of the IBS Center for Nanoparticle Research.

Stretchable displays go beyond foldable or rollable screens — they are next-generation displays that can freely stretch and deform like skin. While they hold promise for wearable devices, electronic skin and soft robots, a persistent drawback has been that stretching the screen reduces the proportion of light-emitting area, degrading image quality.

Researchers had previously explored technologies in which the pixels themselves stretch to address this problem, but those approaches faced limitations: precisely patterning a soft light-emitting layer into fine pixels proved difficult, and brightness and color reproducibility remained poor.

The research team developed a new fabrication process called LIFT technology, which combines quantum dots with elastic polymers and stamps fine patterns onto the substrate like a seal.

The key innovation was treating the surface of the quantum-dot composite to allow charge to flow smoothly, then using a heat-assisted precision transfer process to form the soft light-emitting layer into fine pixel structures.

As a result, the team achieved an ultra-high-resolution pattern with 16,000 pixels per inch and successfully demonstrated a 12-by-12 full-color display driven by red, green and blue light-emitting layers.

The stretchable QLED achieved a peak brightness of 53,300 nits, far surpassing the previous ceiling of under 15,000 nits for stretchable light-emitting devices. The research team said this represents the highest brightness ever recorded among stretchable light-emitting devices worldwide.

The device achieved a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 8.0 percent and maintained stable light-emitting performance even when stretched to 65 percent beyond its original length. In a standard device structure, the team recorded a maximum EQE of 23.9 percent.

The achievement is significant for realizing stretchability, high resolution and high brightness in a single device simultaneously. The technology is expected to find applications across a range of fields, including skin-attachable healthcare devices, wearable displays and soft robots.

"We simultaneously achieved fine pixel fabrication and improved light-emitting performance by precisely controlling the surface and interface of the quantum-dot composite while preserving its stretchability," Yang said. "By merging chemical material design with precision processing technology, we expect to significantly expand the commercial viability of next-generation stretchable displays."

The findings were published in the international journal Nature Nanotechnology.