Researchers at the University of Tsukuba have unveiled a groundbreaking technique for the rapid production of laser light sources in significant quantities. This method utilizes an inkjet printer that ejects droplets capable of emitting laser light. By applying an electric field to these droplets, the researchers have shown that it is feasible to control the on-and-off emission of light. Moreover, they have successfully designed a compact laser display by organizing these droplets on a circuit board.
Researchers at University of Tsukuba have unveiled a groundbreaking technique for the rapid production of laser light sources in significant quantities. This method utilizes an inkjet printer that ejects droplets capable of emitting laser light. By applying an electric field to these droplets, the researchers have shown that it is feasible to control the on-and-off emission of light. Moreover, they have successfully designed a compact laser display by organizing these droplets on a circuit board.
Displays for television, computers, and smartphones are consistently advancing in terms of image quality, clarity, and energy efficiency. It is anticipated that laser displays will become the next-generation model. In particular, laser displays are expected to surpass traditional light-emitting technologies, such as OLEDs and liquid crystals, in terms of brightness and color accuracy. However, for these technologies to be used effectively as displays, their components must be miniaturized and configured more densely than is currently achievable.
This study revealed that droplets made from a specific organic liquid, ejected by an inkjet printer, are capable of emitting laser light. The emission can be toggled on and off by applying an electric field to these droplets. Each droplet measures just 30 µm in diameter, enabling them to be closely packed over areas that can measure several centimeters. When an electric field is applied by placing the droplet between two electrodes, its spherical shape adjusts to an ellipsoid form, halting the emission of laser light. This illustrates that the droplet acts as a switchable “laser pixel.” Furthermore, the researchers found they could individually control the laser output of each pixel within a 2×3 array of these droplets.
Additional advancements in the electrical setup and laser functionality are anticipated to greatly enhance the development of commercial laser displays in the future.
This research received financial backing from CREST (JPMJCR20T4), FOREST (JPMJFR232J), and ACT-X (JPMJAX201J) provided by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), along with various other grants from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and the DAAD-Tsukuba partnership program (No. 117235241) at the University of Tsukuba.
