Micro light-emitting diodes (LEDs), with a chip size of 100 micrometers or less, have attracted significant attention in flexible displays, augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), and bio-medical applications as next-generation light sources due to their outstanding electrical, optical, and mechanical performance. In the realm of bio-medical devices, it is crucial to transfer tiny micro LED chips onto desired flexible substrates with low precision errors, high speed, and high yield for practical applications on various parts of the human body, including someone’s face and organs. This paper aims to introduce a fabrication process for flexible micro LED devices and propose micro LED transfer techniques for cosmetic and medical applications. Flexible micro LED technology holds promise for treating skin disorders, cancers, and neurological diseases.

In this paper, in order to apply the CF (color filter) type of the micro light emitting device (Micro LED) display method, a study on the manufacturing process of red and green phosphor inks for the inkjet process was conducted. The blue light-emitting KSF and LuAG phosphors were respectively used to control the phosphor particle size to about 1μm, and a phosphor ink was prepared by synthesizing with a low-viscosity solution (IPA/Eg). A chemical dispersion method was applied to selectively control the dispersion characteristics in the manufacture of phosphor inks, and in particular, phosphor inks with a dispersant applied a dispersant secured stable dispersion characteristic compared to phosphor inks without a dispersion process. Therefore, it seems possible to manufacture CF for Micro LED through an inkjet process capable of controlling the dispersion characteristics of phosphor ink.

Micro-LEDs can be applied to various parts of a product. However, it has disadvantages compared to general LEDs in large displays such as low efficiency, intensity, and contrast ratio, among others, owing to their short history of study. The simulations were carried out using ray-tracing software to investigate the change in light intensity and light distribution according to pattern shapes on the sapphire substrate of the flip-chip micro-LED (FC μ-LED) array. Three patterns-concave square patterns, convex square patterns, and Ag coated convex patterns-which existed on the opposite side of FC μ-LEDs (115 ㎛ × 115 ㎛) array, were applied. The intensity of FC μ-LEDs on the center of the receivers depends on the pattern depth with shape. The concave square patterns having FC μ-LEDs arrays show that decreasing intensity as the patterns depth. On the contrary, the convex square patterns having FC μ-LEDs arrays shows that increasing intensity as the patterns depth. In addition, the highest intensity shows that FC μ-LEDs having Ag-coated convex patterns on the opposite side of sapphire lead to a reduction in light crosstalk owing to the Ag film.

Micro-LEDs show lower efficiencies compared to general LEDs having large areas. Simulations were carried out using ray-tracing software to investigate the change in light extraction efficiency and light distribution according to chip-size of blue flip-chip micro-LEDs (FC μ-LEDs). After fixing the height of the square FC μ-LED chip at 158 μm, the length of one side was varied, with dimensions of 2, 5, 10, 30, 50, 100, 300, and 500 μm. The highest light-extraction efficiency was obtained at 10 μm, beyond which the efficiency decreased as the chip-size increased. The chip size-dependence of the FC μ-LEDs both without the patterned sapphire substrate, as well as vertical FC μ-LEDs, were analyzed.