IEC TR 62595-1-6:2025

Display lighting unit - Part 1-6: Quantum dot films and quantum dot diffuser plates used in backlight unit

IEC TR 62595-1-6:2025 is a technical report that provides general information for future standardization of quantum dot light converting unit (including quantum dot films and quantum dot diffuser plates) used in backlight units and provides examples of the effect of quantum dot light converting unit on the optical characteristics of backlight after environmental test.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 16-Sep-2025
• ICS: 31.120 - Electronic display devices
• ICS: 31.260 - Optoelectronics. Laser equipment
• Technical Committee: TC 110 - Electronic displays
• Drafting Committee: WG 19 - TC 110/WG 19
• Current Stage: CDTR - Circulated Draft Technical Report
• Start Date: 07-Mar-2025
• Completion Date: 23-Jan-2025

Overview - IEC TR 62595-1-6:2025 (Quantum dot films and diffuser plates)

IEC TR 62595-1-6:2025 is a Technical Report from IEC TC 110 that gives background and guidance for future standardization of quantum dot light converting units used in display backlight units (BLUs). The document focuses on photoluminescent BLUs and describes quantum dot films (QD‑LCF) and quantum dot diffuser plates (QD‑DP), their role in backlights, and examples of how QD light converting units affect optical performance after environmental tests.

Key topics and technical content

• Definitions and terminology: precise terms such as quantum dot (QD), QD-LCF, QD-DP, QD-LGP and QD-LCU are defined to support consistent use in BLU applications.
• Quantum dot technologies: comparison of common QD implementations for BLUs:
  • QD‑LCF (film sandwiched between barrier layers) - thin, flexible, widely used in edge‑lit and direct‑lit BLUs.
  • QD‑DP (diffuser plate infused with QDs) - cost‑competitive option for some direct‑lit TV applications.
  • Other forms noted: QD tubes/bars, QD‑LGP, and QDoC (quantum dot on chip).
• Optical characteristics: how QD light conversion changes spectra, improves colour purity and colour gamut, and influences luminance and uniformity. The report describes factors influencing colour gamut, luminance and uniformity for QD‑BLUs.
• Mechanical and environmental characteristics: examples and data from tests that illustrate how QD‑LCU optical characteristics change after:
  • High temperature storage
  • High temperature and high humidity
  • Blue light operation tests (including an informative Annex on high‑flux blue aging)
  • Release force and durability considerations
• Discussion on future standardization: recommendations and topics for potential normative work covering QD films and diffuser plates.

Practical applications and target users

This TR is practical for:

• Display manufacturers and design engineers specifying or integrating quantum dot films and diffuser plates into LCD backlights.
• Material suppliers (QD manufacturers, barrier films, diffuser materials) and LED/LD system providers.
• Test laboratories and quality assurance teams evaluating BLU optical stability after environmental stress.
• Standards committees and product spec writers preparing normative test methods and performance criteria for QD‑based BLUs.

Related standards and references

• IEC 62595-1-2 - Display lighting unit: Terminology and letter symbols
• IEC 62607-3-1 - Luminescent nanomaterials: Quantum efficiency methods
• ISO/TS 17466 - UV‑Vis absorption spectroscopy for colloidal quantum dots
• Part of the broader IEC 63211 series on Display Lighting Units

Keywords: IEC TR 62595-1-6:2025, quantum dot films, quantum dot diffuser plates, QD‑LCF, QD‑DP, backlight unit, QD backlight unit, display lighting unit, environmental tests, colour gamut, luminance, chromaticity.

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC TR 62595-1-6 ®
Edition 1.0 2025-09
TECHNICAL
REPORT
Display lighting unit -
Part 1-6: Quantum dot films and quantum dot diffuser plates used in backlight
unit
ICS 31.120; 31.260 ISBN 978-2-8327-0713-5

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CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms . 5
3.1 Terms and definitions . 5
3.2 Abbreviated terms. 6
4 Quantum dots used in BLU technologies and applications . 6
4.1 General . 6
4.2 QD-LCF . 7
4.3 QD-DP . 7
4.4 Other applications. 8
5 Optical characteristics . 8
5.1 General . 8
5.2 Factors influencing colour gamut of the LCD module using QD-BLU. 9
5.3 Factors influencing luminance of the BLU using quantum dots . 10
5.4 Factors influencing uniformity of the BLU using quantum dots . 10
6 Mechanical and environmental characteristics . 10
6.1 General . 10
6.2 High temperature storage test . 12
6.3 High temperature and high humidity test . 13
6.4 Blue light operation test . 14
6.5 Release force . 17
7 Discussion and possible future standardization . 17
7.1 General . 17
7.2 Future standardization for QD-LCF . 17
7.3 Future standardization for QD-DP. 17
7.4 Others . 17
Annex A (informative) High flux blue light operating test . 18
Bibliography . 21

Figure 1 – Schematic of LCD with QD-LCF BLU. 7
Figure 2 – Schematic of LCD with QD-DP BLU . 8
Figure 3 – Spectrum differences for conventional and QD-based BLU and LCD . 9
Figure 4 – Chromaticity gamut of conventional LCD and QD-based LCD . 10
Figure 5 – Typical structure of QD-LCF . 11
Figure 6 – Typical structure of QD-DP . 11
Figure 7 – Example of change of chromaticity coordinates and luminance under high
temperature storage test . 12
Figure 8 – BLU structure used in test . 13
Figure 9 – Example of change of chromaticity coordinates and luminance under high

temperature and high humidity test . 14
Figure 10 – Example of change of colour coordinate and luminance after blue light
operating test at high temperature . 16
Figure 11 – Blue light operation test condition . 16
Figure A.1 –Schematic of an example of the high flux blue light aging equipment . 18
Figure A.2 –Example of change of chromaticity coordinates and luminance after high
flux blue aging test . 19
Figure A.3 – The curve of blue LED irradiance and failure time . 20

Table 1 – Example of BLU optical characteristics using quantum dots . 8

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
Display lighting unit -
Part 1-6: Quantum dot films and quantum dot
diffuser plates used in backlight unit

FOREWORD
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shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
IEC TR 62595-1-6 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 110: Electronic displays. It
is a Technical Report.
The text of this Technical Report is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
110/1749/DTR 110/1796/RVDTR
Full information on the voting for its approval can be found in the report on voting indicated in
the above table.
The language used for the development of this Technical Report is English.
This document was drafted in accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, and developed in
accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1 and ISO/IEC Directives, IEC Supplement, available
at www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs. The main document types developed by IEC are
described in greater detail at www.iec.ch/publications.
A list of all parts in the IEC 63211 series, published under the general title Display lighting unit,
can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this document will remain unchanged until the
stability date indicated on the IEC website under webstore.iec.ch in the data related to the
specific document. At this date, the document will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn, or
• revised.
1 Scope
This part of IEC 62595, which is a technical report, provides general information for future
standardization of quantum dot light converting unit (including quantum dot films and quantum
dot diffuser plates) used in backlight units and provides examples of the effect of quantum dot
light converting unit on the optical characteristics of backlight after environmental test.
NOTE Quantum dots (QDs) have broad application beyond display lighting units (DLUs). This document focuses on
photoluminescent backlight units (BLUs).
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies.
For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
IEC 62595-1-2, Display lighting unit - Part 1-2: Terminology and letter symbols
IEC 62607-3-1, Nonmanufacturing - Key control characteristics - Part 3-1: Luminescent
nanomaterials - Quantum efficiency
ISO/TS 17466, Use of UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy in the characterization of cadmium
chalcogenide colloidal quantum dots
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms
3.1 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/TS 17466,
IEC 62595-1-2, IEC 62607-3-1 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following
addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
3.1.1
quantum dot
QD
semiconductor nanocrystal that exhibits size-dependent optical properties due to quantum
confinement effects on the electronic states
3.1.2
quantum dot backlight unit
QD backlight unit
QD-BLU
edge-lit or direct-lit backlight unit in which a blue light source such as light emitting diodes
(LEDs) or laser diodes (LDs) energize a QD film or QD diffuser plate within the backlight unit
to create white light with three primaries spectra
3.1.3
quantum dot light converting film
QD-LCF
film that typically sandwiches the quantum dot layer between two barrier films to be used in the
backlight unit to achieve light conversion function and is energized by blue emission light
sources such as LEDs or LDs
3.1.4
quantum dot diffuser plate
QD-DP
diffuser plate that is infused with quantum dots to be used in the backlight unit to achieve light
conversion function and energized by blue emission light sources such as LEDs or LDs
3.1.5
quantum dot light guide plate
QD-LGP
light guide plate (LGP) that includes quantum dots, typically used in edge-lit applications
3.1.6
quantum dot light converting unit
QD-LCU
system, typically comprised of a film or a plate containing quantum dots, used for
photoluminescent conversion of shorter wavelength (higher energy) light to narrowband longer
wavelength light
3.2 Abbreviated terms
BLU backlight unit
DLU display lighting unit
FWHM full width at half maximum
LCD liquid crystal display
LD laser diode
LED light emitting diode
LGP light guide plate
PMMA polymethyl methacrylate
PS polystyrene
PWL peak wavelength
QDoC quantum dot on chip
TFT thin film transistor
4 Quantum dots used in BLU technologies and applications
4.1 General
Quantum dots used in a BLU are semiconductor particles a few nanometres in size. They are
characterized by high colour purity, long lifetime, good stability and customizable colour.
Quantum dot materials can be widely used in BLUs of various display products.
4.2 QD-LCF
At present, QD-LCF is the most common light converting unit in backlight units [1] . In an edge-
lit backlight (Figure 1 a)), the QD-LCF is located between the light guide plate and the other
optical films. In a direct-lit backlight (Figure 1 b)), the QD-LCF is located between the diffuser
plate and the optical films. Compared with a QD tube, QD-LCF has the advantages of lightness,
thinness, flexibility, good optical dispersion, and less heat concentration. Generally, the
thickness of QD-LCF can be as thin as 0,1 mm, which can be applied to ultra-narrow bezel
BLUs. The film material of QD-LCF is made of plastic, which can be bent, and thus is suitable
for curved screen BLUs. Display devices with narrow bezels and curved screens are the
development direction of future display devices. At the same time, QD-LCF has a light diffusing
property, which can improve the colour uniformity of the BLU.

a) Edge-lit b) Direct-lit
Figure 1 – Schematic of LCD with QD-LCF BLU
4.3 QD-DP
With the gradual maturity of QD technology, QD-LCU in backlight units has changed from
technological competition to price competition. At present, lower price QD-DP has become a
good choice to replace QD-LCF in some use cases and has already been used in some TV
products [2]. QD-DP is used between the blue LED light board or bar and the optical film stack
in a direct-lit backlight, as shown in Figure 2.
___________
1 Numbers in square brackets refer to the Bibliography.
Figure 2 – Schematic of LCD with QD-DP BLU
4.4 Other applications
In addition to the above applications, there are other forms of QD-LCU used in BLUs, such as
QD tube or bar, QD-LGP, and even QDoC which can be directly used in a BLU instead of blue
LEDs. Due to the small market share of these types of QD-LCU at present, they will not be
discussed in this document.
5 Optical characteristics
5.1 General
The main function of quantum dots in a QD-BLU is to precisely control the spectrum of the
backlight, enhancing overall display quality. Quantum dots convert blue LED light into highly
pure red and green light, which, when combined with the blue light, results in a well-defined
white backlight. This improves the display's colour gamut, luminance, and chromaticity
uniformity. The quality of the display depends on the spectrum provided by the quantum dot-
enhanced backlight, which is typically composed of red, green, and blue (RGB) components.
Table 1 illustrates an example of a BLU utilizing quantum dots to achieve these improvements.
Table 1 – Example of BLU optical characteristics using quantum dots
NO Three PWL FWHM Relative White point White point
primary spectral chromaticity chromaticity
(nm) (nm)
colours power coordinates coordinates
(x, y) (u’, v’)
R 632 20 1,004
1 G 523 20 0,959 (0,282 4, 0,293 6) (0,189 6, 0,443 5)
B 450 18 1,000
R 621 20 0,953
2 G 523 20 0,898 (0,307 2, 0,291 6) (0,208 8, 0,446 0)
B 450 18 1,000
R 632 20 0,882
3 G 540 20 0,973 (0,317 1, 0,303 9) (0,211 0, 0,454 9)
B 450 18 1,000
R 621 20 1,207
4 G 540 20 1,213 (0,332 7, 0,331 5) (0,210 8, 0,472 6)
B 450 18 1,000
NOTE 1 Blue PWL and FWHM do not vary in the table because there is no blue quantum dot conversion.
NOTE 2 Spectral power distribution is normalized to blue.

5.2 Factors influencing colour gamut of the LCD module using QD-BLU
The colour gamut of a QD-based LCD module is calculated from the output display spectrum,
depending on the respective PWL and FWHM of the t
...