Pushing the Limits of Quantum Dots: A Conversation with Dr. ZhongSheng Luo
October 10, 2025
As the Phosphors & Quantum Dots Industry Forum approaches, many in the field are reflecting on how far quantum dots have come, and where they’re heading next. One of the featured sessions this year, “Pushing the Limits of Quantum Dots: Brighter, Purer, Tougher and Lower Cost for Displays,” will be presented by Dr. ZhongSheng Luo, Vice President and General Manager of Application Development, Products and Revenue at Nanosys.
Dr. Luo has been at the forefront of bringing quantum dots from early research to large-scale commercialization, and he continues to explore how advances in materials, processing, and integration can redefine performance in real-world displays. In this interview, he shares his perspective on the evolution of QD technology: from scaling challenges and cost breakthroughs to the growing interplay between QDs and phosphors across different platforms.
Read on for insights and join the discussion at this year’s QD Forum.
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Why did you choose the topic “Pushing the Limits of Quantum Dots: Brighter, Purer, Tougher and Lower Cost for Displays”?
As a perfect light-emitting material, quantum dots are one of the most versatile and powerful materials in displays. However, many people may underestimate how much effort and innovation it has taken the quantum dots technology from early R&D to initial commercialization and a sustained business success. In addition, the potential for QD in display is still far from fully realized. I wanted to frame my talk around four attributes: brightness, color purity, robustness, and cost, because these are the areas where we continue to see both rapid progress and meaningful challenges. Each of these qualities is essential for meeting the real-world demands of consumers, whether it’s HDR on a TV, visibility in a car display, or efficiency in a mobile device. My goal is to show how advances in materials, processing, and system integration are converging to expand the value quantum dots bring to displays.
How do you see quantum dots evolving in the display industry over the next 3–5 years?
We are at an inflection point. In the near term, I see quantum dots becoming even more deeply embedded across the display ecosystem. Not just in premium TVs, but also in monitors, tablets, and automotive displays. We’ll see higher-efficiency, higher-reliability QDs that enable brighter, more immersive HDR experiences with lower power consumption. At the same time, the manufacturing infrastructure has matured, enabling scalable and cost-effective deployment. Over the next five years, I expect QDs to shift from being a “special feature” to a baseline technology in advanced displays, in much the same way LED backlights became standard. In addition, I also expect you will see commercial products employing QD color conversion (QDCC) technology, especially for some automotive applications and public information displays (indoor). Furthermore, I also expect to see some trial production of the QD electroluminescence (QDEL) technology for certain niche applications.
What role do phosphors still play in the era of OLED and QD technologies?
Phosphors are complementary to QDs, not simply competitors. There are many ways the two technologies can collaborate to create better products. In fact, many successful products already combine phosphors and QDs today. The industry benefits from having both toolkits available.
Where do you see the biggest challenges right now—materials, cost, scalability, or environmental aspects?
In many ways, we’ve already overcome the challenges that once defined this field. At Shoei, we have scale. Our factory can deliver QDs for more than 40 million TVs per year. Cost will always be important for consumer electronics products, and the latest generation of our QD diffuser plate technology delivers higher performance at a lower cost, now matching the brightness of QDEF. And we have resolved regulatory concerns. RoHS compliance is well-settled with a range of heavy metal free QD options delivering excellent performance.
So instead of a single “biggest challenge,” I’d say the real task now is pushing all three strengths forward simultaneously:
Scaling up even further to reach not just TVs but monitors, notebooks and automotive.
Driving down the implementation cost while maintaining or improving performance
Bringing the technology to a new level, such that it brings the best visual experience to the viewer at the most affordable cost
Our strength in each area gives us confidence but also raises the bar for what’s possible in the next generation of displays.
Quantum dots have reached a stage where improvements in efficiency, cost, and reliability are enabling new kinds of displays, and perhaps new ways of thinking about the display system itself. As Dr. Luo notes, the real challenge now lies not in overcoming fundamental barriers but in continuously raising the standard for performance and value. His talk promises to shed light on how the next generation of quantum dot materials and architectures will shape the displays of tomorrow.
