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  • Review Article
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Nanostructured materials for next-generation display technology

Nature Reviews Electrical Engineering volume 2, pages 263–276 (2025)Cite this article

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Abstract

Nanostructured materials, such as quantum dots (QDs), metal oxide nanoparticles and metal halide perovskite nanostructures, are promising for next-generation display technology owing to their low-cost solution process, high photoluminescence quantum yield, narrow emission, wide colour gamut and high colour purity. Over the past decade, commercial displays based on QD photoluminescence have been successfully introduced, such as QD-enhanced liquid crystal displays, QD organic light-emitting diodes and QD light-emitting diodes. Electroluminescence (EL) from nanostructured materials represents one of the ultimate goals for future display technology, owing to its high efficiency and simple device structure. However, the electroluminescent application of these nanomaterials is still in its infancy, primarily owing to the instability of blue devices and immature mass-production technologies. This Review introduces the progress of photoluminescent QDs, with a focus on advancements in EL. We explore improvements in materials and device design to enhance EL stability and to examine critical mass-production technologies, including high-resolution display innovations. Finally, we outline future research direction for enhancing operation stability of deep-blue EL.

Key points

  • Nanostructured materials (NMs), such as quantum dots, metal oxides and perovskites, have great potential to be applied in next-generation display technologies owing to their excellent optoelectronic properties.

  • Research in the stability of NMs offers valuable insights into improving the electroluminescence (EL) performance of NMs, pushing the commercialization of solution-processable light-emitting diodes.

  • Photoluminescence application of quantum dots has been successful for decades and their EL is on the corner. Engineering methodologies can enhance the performance of EL devices and clear the way for commercialization.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2: Mechanism of quantum dot light-emitting diode stability.
Fig. 3: Surface modification of quantum dots.
Fig. 4: Energy diagram of quantum dot light-emitting diodes.
Fig. 5: Mass-production technology of S-quantum dot light-emitting diodes.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Xuanyu Zhang, Shuo Ding, Zhaobing Tang.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Advanced Nano-Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China

    Xuanyu Zhang, Shuo Ding, Zhaobing Tang, Zhiwei Yao, Ting Zhang, Chaoyu Xiang & Lei Qian

  2. Division of Functional Materials and Nanodevices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China

    Xuanyu Zhang, Shuo Ding, Zhaobing Tang, Zhiwei Yao, Ting Zhang, Chaoyu Xiang & Lei Qian

  3. Laboratory of Advanced Nano-Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Qianwan Institute of CNITECH, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China

    Xuanyu Zhang, Shuo Ding, Zhaobing Tang, Zhiwei Yao, Ting Zhang, Chaoyu Xiang & Lei Qian

  4. University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China

    Xuanyu Zhang & Shuo Ding

  5. Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China

    Ting Zhang, Chaoyu Xiang & Lei Qian

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  1. Xuanyu Zhang
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Contributions

X.Z., S.D. and Z.T. contributed to writing and editing of this manuscript. X.Z., S.D., Z.Y. and Z.T. researched data for the manuscript and contributed to the content discussion. T.Z., L.Q. and C.X. contributed to the discussion, writing and reviewing the manuscript before submission. Note that all four of the above tasks should be accounted for.

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Correspondence to Chaoyu Xiang or Lei Qian.

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Zhang, X., Ding, S., Tang, Z. et al. Nanostructured materials for next-generation display technology. Nat Rev Electr Eng 2, 263–276 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44287-025-00158-6

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