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Real Quantum Dot Guide: 10 Years of Samsung Innovations Redefining Picture Quality Standards
3/4/2025
Quantum dots have attracted attention as a next-generation material for a wide range of applications including displays, medical devices and solar cells. In 2014, Samsung Electronics developed the world’s first no-cadmium quantum dot material and successfully commercialized quantum dot technology with its SUHD TVs. Since 2017, the company has continued to build on its legacy of quantum dot mastery through QLED — its own quantum dot TV series. Samsung Newsroom explored how quantum dots are taking Samsung displays to the next level.
Quantum Dots: The Next Generation of Display Innovation
Quantum dots are ultra-fine semiconductor particles with physical characteristics that allow them to provide higher levels of color accuracy and brightness. Since inception, their physical characteristics had them positioned to revolutionize display technology.
When used in displays, quantum dots support a wide color gamut that closely matches colors perceived by the human eye and facilitate pixel-level light adjustment for more accurate black levels. Emitting light in all directions, quantum dots deliver uniform luminance and consistent color from any viewing angle while minimizing blue light exposure for a more comfortable viewing experience.
What Sets Samsung QD TVs Apart: Content, Film Quality and No-Cadmium Technology
The TV industry continues research and development into the commercialization of quantum dots as the material becomes a game-changer in display technology. For that reason, a variety of quantum dot TVs have hit the market recently — offering a wide range of options to customers.
However, key differences in quantum dot TVs lie in how the technology is implemented and the overall quality of the display. To ensure a premium viewing experience, factors such as the amount of quantum dot content, the quality of quantum dot film and the innovative use of no-cadmium materials must be considered.
Quantum Dot Content
The true quality of a quantum dot TV is defined by its quantum dot content. Higher concentrations of Quantum Dots in the QD layer are required to achieve the vivid, rich picture quality and color expression that QLED displays are known for.
Quantum Dot Film
Quantum dot displays have a simpler and more efficient structure compared to LCDs. Samsung QLEDs eliminate the need for a phosphor layer, as the QD layer itself, together with the blue backlight combine to enhance brightness and deliver more vivid color. .
A dedicated quantum dot film that contains sufficient quantum dots is key in delivering top-class picture quality and longevity.
No Cadmium
In the early stages of developing quantum dot TVs, cadmium was considered the most efficient material for producing quantum dots and essential to achieving the technology’s key benefits of quantum dots such as color reproduction and contrast ratio.
However, cadmium’s toxicity and environmental impact became a significant obstacle to the commercialization of quantum dot technology. The element posed threats to the environment — making its widespread use difficult, despite being the most suitable material for implementing quantum dot technology.
In response to this challenge, Samsung developed and patented the world’s first no-cadmium quantum dot material in 2014 and successfully commercialized quantum dot technology with its SUHD TVs in the following year to open a new era of quantum dot TVs.
10 Years of Quantum Dot Innovation and Leadership
Samsung has quickly recognized the potential of quantum dot technology and led innovation in the global display market over the past decade through continuous research and investment.
Samsung began researching and developing quantum dot technology in 2001 — at a time when there was limited research on non-cadmium materials. Achieving vivid colors required making the nano-sized particles uniform, but the lack of technology and research made mass production extremely challenging.
Despite these obstacles, Samsung succeeded in creating a no-cadmium nanocrystal material in 2014. Since then, the company has accumulated extensive expertise — registering more than 150 patents — and continuously worked on advancing the technology. As noted above, delivered another innovation in 2015 when it unveiled the world’s first SUHD TVs with no-cadmium quantum dot technology.
Samsung’s QLED lineup was revealed in 2017, setting a new standard for premium TVs that overcame the limitations of OLED TVs. By applying metal quantum dot technology, Samsung achieved the Digital Cinema Initiative’s color standard DCI-P3 and achieved 100% color volume for the first time in the world — thereby presenting unparalleled color expression. Notably, the use of inorganic quantum dot technology protected the screens from burn-in2 to ensure consistent picture quality over time.
Following its success in developing a red light-emitting element for displays in 2019, the company enhanced the luminous efficiency of blue self-emitting QLEDs — considered the most challenging to implement among the three primary QLED colors1 — to an industry-leading 20.2%.2
“Discovering a blue material for self-emitting QLEDs and demonstrating industry-leading performance at the device level were significant achievements of this research,” said Dr. Eunjoo Chang, a fellow at Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology. “Samsung’s distinctive quantum dot technology has once again overcome technical barriers.”
Our latest Samsung Neo QLED TV models take things one step further by replacing standard LEDs with a higher number of mini-LEDs, allowing for even more detail, brightness, and vivid colors, and are available with both 4K and 8K resolution.
Samsung remains dedicated to advancing quantum dot technology through continuous innovation. The company continues to invest in leading display technology by offering high brightness, color accuracy and frequency. Driven by unrivaled quantum dot innovations from Samsung, the future of display technology is brighter than ever.
