At the Society for Information Display (SID) 2025 expo, Samsung Display unveiled a significantly improved EL-QD display panel that offers much higher brightness than previous prototypes. Unlike QD-OLED panels, which use quantum dots (QD) for just color conversion, EL-QD panels use QDs for light emission and color conversion.

Samsung Display, the display manufacturing division of Samsung Electronics, is showcasing its improved EL-QD display panel prototype at the event. There are two versions of it. One can reach peak brightness of up to 400 nits, while the other has a high pixel density of 264ppi. It is a massive improvement over last year's panels that Samsung called QD-LED.

It uses an inorganic electroluminescent technology where each RGB pixel uses cadmium-free quantum dots to create light and color on its own in response to electrical signals. In essence, it is an OLED-like immissive display technology that can create perfect blacks. In comparison, a QD-OLED panel uses a photoluminescence material to emit blue light, and that light is converted into the required color using quantum dots. However, the photoluminescence material is susceptible to damage after a long period of usage.

Quantum dots are known for color accuracy, and since EL-QD only uses quantum dots for emitting light and creating color, the color accuracy of those panels is extremely high. Moreover, since there is no separate layer for emitting light, it reduces the overall power consumption of the panel.

Compared to last year, Samsung Display managed to increase the brightness from 250 nits to 400 nits, which is a 50% improvement.

The high-resolution version of the panel that the company displayed last year had a pixel density of 202ppi, and this year's high-resolution version has 30% higher pixel density (264ppi). This improvement was made possible by enhancing the ink properties and improving compatibility with inkjet printing processes. SID termed the new technology as a ‘Distinguished Paper' for 2025.

Changhee Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of the R&D Center at Samsung Display, said, “It is an honor to present Samsung Display’s advanced technologies at a global forum attended by the world’s leading scholars and industry experts. We remain committed to shaping the future of display innovation by closely engaging with academia and the market and by being the first to deliver the solutions our customers demand.“

Image Credits: Samsung Display