Light-emitting diodes, commonly known as LEDs, are essential components of modern displays. As the requirements in terms of resolution, colour rendering and brightness with a long service life and high efficiency are constantly increasing, the topic is also of interest for research, for example at the Institute of Physics at the University of Magdeburg.
Bachelor's graduate Niklas Dreyer analysed an LED structure in detail as part of his Bachelor's thesis. The physics student was honoured with the "Friends of the IHP e.V." young talent award for his outstanding research on very small micro-LEDs. The association promotes and supports the "IHP - Leibniz Institute for Innovative Microelectronics in Frankfurt (Oder)" in realising its goals on the basis of innovative, cosmopolitan and multicultural research. The association has been supporting young researchers with this prize for many years. Prize money of up to 1,200 euros is awarded annually. Prof Dr Jürgen Christen from the Institute of Physics supervised Niklas Dreyer's work: "We involve students in our current research. Mr Dreyer has achieved excellent results, which have been honoured."
Niklas Dreyer explains: "LEDs are essential components of modern displays. They are used in very small dimensions as micro-LEDs for the latest generation of displays. Newer and more authentic image reproduction devices should enable a stronger visual immersion, i.e. immersion, of the human being beyond normal flat screens. This is realised with so-called virtual reality or augmented reality displays".
The size of the LEDs plays a decisive role here, but the underlying physics limit the dimensions of these micro-diodes. This is where the research of the student, who is now in the second semester of his Master's degree at the University of Magdeburg, comes in.
The knowledge gained could help to improve LEDs even further. "Mr Dreyer's research results show what is possible in the future and what the findings will be used for in particular," says Prof Jürgen Christen. Niklas Dreyer would also like to stay true to physics after his studies.