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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Nature Communications

Reversible photolithography of quantum dots achieves high-performance electroluminescence

  • Chang Gu1,2
  • Zhixin Zhai1,2
  • Shuo Ding1,2
  • Changfeng Han1,2
  • Ting Zhang1,2
  • Chaoyu Xiang1,2
  1. 1Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information Technology and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, China
  2. 2Hangzhou Bay Laboratory of Advanced Nano-Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Qianwan Institute of CNITECH, Ningbo, China
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Abstract

Direct photolithography offers a transformative photoresist-free route for high-precision integration in electronic and optoelectronic platforms. Despite significant advancements in quantum dots (QDs), existing methods often degrade optoelectronic performance due to the inherent surface ligand changes during photolithographic processing. Here, we introduce a reversible photolithography strategy to overcome this bottleneck. This strategy is based on the first wavelength-gated, reversible ligand crosslinking and decrosslinking cycle, enabling the dynamic and reversible control over the photolithographic process. Using this approach, we achieve high-efficient and high-fidelity QD photolithography with restored QD structure and functionality. The reversible process further enables high-performance electroluminescence, with one of the highest luminance values of 125,016 cd m−2 at 5.0 V and a peak external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 24.41%. Moreover, we demonstrate an ultrahigh-resolution nano-pixelated device with a peak EQE of 17.08% at 21,000 PPI. This work presents a photo-reversible crosslinking system that decouples photolithographic patterning from performance degradation, offering a versatile platform for high-end QD-based displays and other advanced optoelectronics.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{gu2026reversible,
  title = {{Reversible photolithography of quantum dots achieves high-performance electroluminescence}},
  author = {Chang Gu and Zhixin Zhai and Shuo Ding and Changfeng Han and Ting Zhang and Chaoyu Xiang},
  journal = {Nature Communications},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.1038/s41467-026-77916-z},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-77916-z},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Reversible photolithography of quantum dots achieves high-performance electroluminescence
AU  - Chang Gu
AU  - Zhixin Zhai
AU  - Shuo Ding
AU  - Changfeng Han
AU  - Ting Zhang
AU  - Chaoyu Xiang
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/24
JO  - Nature Communications
DO  - 10.1038/s41467-026-77916-z
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-77916-z
AB  - Direct photolithography offers a transformative photoresist-free route for high-precision integration in electronic and optoelectronic platforms. Despite significant advancements in quantum dots (QDs), existing methods often degrade optoelectronic performance due to the inherent surface ligand changes during photolithographic processing. Here, we introduce a reversible photolithography strategy to overcome this bottleneck. This strategy is based on the first wavelength-gated, reversible ligand crosslinking and decrosslinking cycle, enabling the dynamic and reversible control over the photolithographic process. Using this approach, we achieve high-efficient and high-fidelity QD photolithography with restored QD structure and functionality. The reversible process further enables high-performance electroluminescence, with one of the highest luminance values of 125,016 cd m−2 at 5.0 V and a peak external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 24.41%. Moreover, we demonstrate an ultrahigh-resolution nano-pixelated device with a peak EQE of 17.08% at 21,000 PPI. This work presents a photo-reversible crosslinking system that decouples photolithographic patterning from performance degradation, offering a versatile platform for high-end QD-based displays and other advanced optoelectronics.
SN  - 2041-1723
ER  -