Color tunable LEDs

Scientists at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), led by Prof. Yang Lu, have successfully used mechanical stretching technology to dynamically control the emission color of GaN LEDs, from UV to blue light.

The researchers utilized micro-nano processing technology to fabricate single-crystalline GaN material into tiny bridge-like structures. Through precise mechanical stretching, the material achieved an elastic deformation of up to 6.8%, with a tensile strength of approximately 11 GPa. This demonstrates the extraordinary elastic deformation capability brought by the size effect, offering broad prospects for deep strain engineering.

The MicroLED Industry Association published a new white paper that provides a discussion on microLED full color architectures. The white paper is openly available to download here.

One of the key challenges still facing the microLED industry is the development of full color displays. As blue, green and red LEDs are based on different material structures, producing full-color displays is not straightforward. MicroLED display developers are looking at several full color architectures, including a native GaN red microLED, color-tunable LEDs, color conversion using phosphors/QDs, and alternative material platforms (such as 3D Nanowires) and processes.

The MicroLED Association Full Color Architectures white paper addresses the challenges associated with producing full color microLED displays, and details the different architectures and technologies being developed today. You can download the full white paper here!

Q-Pixel launches a microLED mass transfer technology, which it brands as Q-Transfer. The company did not detail the technology itself, but says that it improves the transfer yield, while maintaining high resolution and superb alignment accuracy.

Q-Pixel demonstrated its transfer technology, and produced a microLED display based on 10 micron LEDs, and that has a pixel density of 500 PPI. The production yield is over 99.9995%.

MicroLED-Connect 2025 is set to be the industry’s premier event for 2025, with a world-class agenda, exhibition and networking opportunities. In this article we will introduce some of our speakers and themes in the event. You can explore the full agenda and event details here.

Mass transfer – lasers, fluids and chip-first processing

The first theme we will discuss is mass transfer. In most MicroLED production platforms, there is at least one transfer process – from epiwafer to final display, and usually at least two such processes are involved: from epiwafer to an interposer substrate (temporary holder)  and then from interposer to final display. Performing this transfer in a cost-efficient and reliable manner is still one of the major challenges the industry is facing.

We're happy to introduce Innovation Semiconductor, a US-based company that develops a patented monolithic vertical architecture for the production of MicroLED microdisplays, based on a 3D nanowire structure, a single material system and a straightforward and conventional integration between LEDs and GaN transistor. We’re excited to feature Matthew Hartensveld, PhD, CTO and co-founder of Innovation Semiconductor, specializing in GaN micro-LEDs, transistors, and semiconductor device innovation, who shares his insights and vision in this exclusive Q&A:

Fabricated sub-pixel circuit with vertical LED-driver transistor, pass transistor, and charge storage capacitor.

Can you introduce your company and technology?

Innovation Semiconductor is a startup dedicated to advancing monolithic solutions for microLED displays. We recognize that one of the main barriers to large-scale microLED production has been the difficulty of integrating separate components into a unified, scalable solution. As such this has been our focus, where we are pioneering LED-FET technologies pairing GaN MOSFETs with LEDs to address the issue of controlling logic, smarter flip-chip bonding with NMOS circuitry offered by independent cathodes, and color tunable LEDs to have a single LED act as a complete pixel emitting native color. Notably, each of these technologies can operate independently and are designed to be fabricated using only standard semiconductor toolsets, ensuring compatibility with existing manufacturing infrastructure.

The MicroLED Industry Association will host an online meeting on June 16, 2025, with a focus on red microLED emission, one of the key challenges towards mass microLED adoption.

This first-of-its-kind panel meeting will take a deep look into red microLED emission. The several potential paths towards a commercial red microLED will be discussed: native GaN red, color conversion, color-tunable LEDs and 3D GaN Nanowires.

A year ago Foxconn announced a strategic partnership with Porotech to co-develop microLED microdisplays, targeting AR, wearable and other applications. Foxconn said that this partnership will utilize Porotech's Dynamic Pixel Tuning color-tunable GaN-on-Silicon microLED technology and Foxconn's technologies in semiconductor wafer manufacturing, packaging, IC drivers, CMOS backplanes, module assembly and system assembly.

According to a new report from China, Foxconn plans to build a microLED epiwafer production line in Taichung, Taiwan. Foxconn aims to start mass production by the end of 2025.

US-based Q-Pixel announced that it has developed a new 3K x 1.5K, a 1.1x0.6 cm (6800 PPI) microLED microdisplay. Q-Pixel says that this is the world's highest resolution color microdisplay - but they actually mean the highest density full-color microdisplay.

Q-Pixel's technology is based around a single-pixel color-tunable microLED device, and the company's displays are produced using a monolithic process. In May 2023, the company announced a 5,000 PPI full-color microdisplay. In fact, later in 2023 the company announced a 10,000 PPI microLED microdisplay, but the 10,000 display was a passive-matrix microdisplay, and the newly announced display is an active-matrix one. 

Foxconn announced a strategic partnership with Porotech to co-develop microLED microdisplays, targeting AR, wearable and other applications.

Foxconn says that this partnership will utilize Porotech's Dynamic Pixel Tuning color-tunable GaN-on-Silicon microLED technology and Foxconn's technologies in semiconductor wafer manufacturing, packaging, IC drivers, CMOS backplanes, module assembly and system assembly.

US-based Q-Pixel announced that it has developed the world's smallest full-color pixel (1 micron) and demonstrated a 10,000 PPI microLED microdisplay based on its proprietary tunable polychromatic microLED technology (which it brands as TP-LED). 

Q-Pixel's technology enables a single-pixel color-tunable microLED device, and the company's displays are produced using a monolithic process. In May 2023, the company announced a 5,000 PPI full-color microdisplay, so this is fast progress only a few months later. Q-Pixel is a MicroLED Industry Association member.