Quantum dot technology in lighting: use cases in retail

Already a staple in high-end TVs, quantum dot technology is now entering the world of lighting. From vivid colors to smart and flexible tunability, quantum dots might be reshaping lighting in retail environments. Here's what makes QD-LEDs a powerful tool for stores, showrooms, and in-store displays.

Quantum dots (QDs) are nanometer-sized semiconductor crystals that emit light when stimulated by an energy source, such as a blue LED. They are used in lighting and displays to improve color accuracy and energy efficiency.

Quantum dots absorb incoming light – usually from a blue or ultraviolet LED – and re-emit it at specific wavelengths depending on their size:

• Smaller QDs emit blue light
• Larger QDs emit red light

This size-based tunability allows precise control over the color output, enabling lighting systems to produce highly accurate and customizable white light.

• Nanocrystal semiconductor particles (2–10 nm)
• Tunable light emission by size
• Narrow spectral bandwidths
• High quantum yield (efficiency of light emission)

One of the key features of QD lighting technology is its tunability, enabling lighting systems to adapt color temperature precisely to different environments and needs. QD-LEDs achieve dynamic tunability by combining different sizes of pre-engineered quantum dots within the light source and adjusting their output via electronic control, allowing smooth shifts between warm and cool white light.

In lighting applications, quantum dots are typically used as a conversion layer placed on top of a standard LED chip. Unlike traditional phosphor-converted LEDs, which rely on broad-spectrum phosphor coatings to produce white light, QD-based systems emit light in narrow, targeted wavelengths. This results in purer colors, improved color rendering (CRI), and reduced energy loss.

Compared to OLEDs, which are self-emissive and often suffer from shorter lifespans and lower brightness, QD-LEDs combine the high efficiency and durability of conventional LEDs with superior color performance. This makes them particularly well-suited for high-quality general lighting, ambient lighting, and circadian lighting applications.

QD technology offers multiple performance advantages that enhance both the quality and efficiency of modern lighting solutions:

• Natural-looking white light
• Excellent color rendering (CRI up to 97)
• Flexible color temperature: warm to cool
• Energy-saving potential due to efficient conversion

The advantages of quantum dot technology in a nutshell: QDs deliver brighter, more vivid light with less energy and better color control than traditional LEDs.

Quantum dot LEDs are more energy-efficient than traditional LEDs because their precise light conversion reduces energy waste and delivers more usable light per watt. QDs do this by using nanocrystals that emit specific, narrow wavelengths of light, minimizing overlap and energy loss.

Quantum dot technology is no longer limited to display backlights. It is now being integrated into general and architectural lighting systems.

• Luminaires and lamps: Enhanced color rendering and tunable white light
• Smart lighting: Circadian and ambient solutions
• Outdoor lighting: Streetlights, reduced light pollution

Quantum dot technology is making a real impact in the world of lighting by addressing key needs in commercial environments. One of its standout benefits is the exceptional color quality it offers. QD lighting can closely mimic natural daylight, making colors appear more vivid, accurate, and lifelike. This is especially valuable in fashion retail, where true fabric tones influence purchasing decisions; in food retail, where fresh produce, meats, and baked goods must appear appetizing and authentic; or in cosmetics departments, where accurate skin tone and shade matching are essential for customer confidence.

Another major advantage is its flexibility in color temperature. Quantum dot lighting can be fine-tuned across a wide range from warm, cozy light for creating a welcoming, comfortable atmosphere for example in furniture stores, boutiques or retail gastronomy to cool, energizing daylight suited for offices, fresh food sections in supermarkets or pharmacies and beauty departments.

In addition, QD lighting offers long lifespans which reduces maintenance costs, minimizes downtime, and ensures consistent lighting performance over time – making it ideal for high-traffic areas or hard-to-reach retail environments.

Reduced heat generation in QD lighting improves energy efficiency and helps preserve temperature-sensitive products which is especially important in food retail and cosmetics displays.

QD lighting technology can be integrated into smart lighting systems, allowing for adaptive environments that respond to time of day, mood, or specific use cases. For example, QD lighting can be adjusted to warmer tones in the evening in fashion boutiques, shift to cooler light during peak hours in supermarkets, or dynamically highlight seasonal displays in shop windows.

Sources: Electro Optics Feature, University of Cambridge research news, RS DesignSpark Article, Light Now Blog post