Super quantum dots might be the next big (ok, little) thing in TVs. At least, that's what companies such as TCL want you to believe. While "regular" quantum dots have greatly improved the performance of LCD and OLED TVs, many of our picks for best TV use them to create bright, vibrant images, for instance. Will SQDs offer any improvement or is this just marketing fluff?
As with most things tech, the answer is a bit of both. While the name "super quantum dots" is a little hyperbolic, there are potential improvements in performance. Behind the scenes there are also some impressive, if you're a nerd like me, advancements in manufacturing that allow them to exist at all. First though…
What's a quantum dot?
The size of the quantum dot determines what color it emits when supplied with energy. Currently that energy is supplied by blue LEDs or blue OLEDs. Samsung
A quick recap. Quantum dots are microscopic particles with a fascinating ability: They can turn one color of light into another color of light with near-perfect efficiency. Right now, the most common use for quantum dots is for converting the blue light of a blue LED or OLED into red and green.
While this is how the majority of TVs with quantum dots work today, in the future there are versions of QD that will convert electricity to light directly (no LEDs required) as well as using ultraviolet light to create visible light.
Two vials of red and green quantum dots, lit with a blue/violet flashlight. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
For more detail, check out How quantum dots could challenge OLED for best TV picture, QD-OLED TV: Samsung, Sony Take on LG With Quantum Dot Special Sauce and Putting the 'Q' in QLEDs: Where Quantum Dots Are Made.
To understand the next part, the main thing you need to know is that the size of the quantum dot determines what color it emits. The smallest quantum dots emit blue light, medium-sized quantum dots emit green, and the chonkiest (but still microscopic) QDs emit red.
Super quantum dots
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