Tiny perovskite LEDs developed by researchers in China, UK

A research team from Zhejiang University in China, along with colleagues from the University of Cambridge in the U.K., has developed tiny LED pixels using a material called perovskite. Their study, published in the journal Nature, reveals that these pixels can be as small as a virus. The team aims to make electronics more compact. In the past, technology has focused on increasing the number of transistors in circuits or making pixels smaller for clearer images. The current leading technology, micro-LEDs, is based on expensive semiconductors that limit how small pixels can get. To overcome this challenge, the researchers turned to perovskite, a mineral that is also being studied as a low-cost alternative to silicon in solar cells. They created semiconductors from perovskite that produce light when electricity runs through them. Their tests showed that these new LEDs were as bright as traditional ones, maintaining efficiency. After successfully creating larger LEDs, the researchers made smaller versions, ultimately constructing one that measures just 90 nanometers wide. This size achieves an impressive pixel density of 127,000 pixels per inch. Currently, all the LEDs produced by the team are monochrome, meaning they only emit one color. Further research is needed to see if colored perovskite LEDs can outperform existing technology. The longevity of these tiny LEDs in everyday devices is still uncertain. While there may be limits to how small LEDs can get, the team believes that these tiny devices could be used in ultra-high-resolution augmented reality technology.