InGaN-based blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs), with their high efficiency and brightness, are entering the display industry. However, a significant gap remains between the expectation of highly efficient light sources and their experimental realization into tiny pixels for ultrahigh-density displays for augmented reality (AR).
Herein, we report using tailored ion implantation (TIIP) to fabricate highly-efficient, electrically-driven pixelated InGaN microLEDs (µLEDs) at the mid-submicron scale (line/space of 0.5/0.5 µm), corresponding to 8500ppi (RGB). Creating a laterally confined nonradiative region around each pixel with controlled amount of mobile vacancies, TIIP pixelation materializes relatively invariant luminance, and high pixel distinctiveness, at submicron-sized pixels. Moreover, with incomparable integration capability of TIIP pixelation owing to its planar geometry, we demonstrate 2000 ppi µLED displays with monolithically integrated thin-film transistor pixel circuits, and 5000 ppi compatible core technologies. We expect that the demonstrated method will pave the way toward high-performance µLED displays for seamless AR glasses in the near future.