新加坡麻省理工学院研究与技术联盟的科学家开发出来了世界上最小的发光二极管（LED），面积不到0.14平方微米。这个发明有什么实际应用价值呢？
制作更加细腻的手机屏幕
关注过小米手机的读者肯定听说过小米提出的“视网膜屏”的概念，视网膜屏幕的意思是分辨率超过人眼识别极限的高分辨率屏幕，像素密度达到326像素/英寸（ppi）。视网膜屏幕的实现，就要求手机屏幕里面的LED非常微小，超过视网膜识别图像的极限像素尺寸，这样的手机屏幕看起来非常的细腻，实现这种效果，就需要微型LED技术。
小米手机的视网膜屏幕的LED，每个尺寸是2777777.78平方微米。而新加坡科学家发明的新型超微型发光LED尺寸只有0.14平方微米，相当于是小米手机视网膜屏幕的像素的约两千万分之一。如果把这种LED应用在手机屏幕上，产生的图像效果，肉眼将无法分辨是屏幕还是现实。由于非常微小，这样的手机的屏幕，几乎可以表达所有的颜色，色彩效果会超过胶卷。同时，这种LED发光亮度高，还省电，可以进一步降低手机的屏幕功耗。
应用于虚拟现实眼镜
在可穿戴设备中，由于人的眼睛和屏幕距离比较近，再加上虚拟显示眼镜中的透镜的放大效果，屏幕会有比较强烈的颗粒感。如果将这种微型LED做成屏幕，应用在可穿戴设备里，人眼将不会看到任何的LED颗粒。虚拟现实影像将更加真实，使用者会有身临其境的感觉。
一部分读者可能看过刘慈欣的《三体》第一部的电视剧，在电视剧里，主角应用可穿戴设备进入三体游戏后，感觉身临其境。用目前市场上买得到的可穿戴设备是达不到电视剧里的效果的，但是用新型微型LED，这种效果就可以实现。
更多的应用场景
高效率的微型LED将可用于高速计算和数据传输中。比如，在数据中心或基于云的应用中，微型LED将有助于实现更快的数据传输，更有效地处理信息。由于微型LED具备高亮度和高强度的发光特性，因此在医学激光手术等领域也有着巨大潜力。利用这种LED，我们还可以生产更高分辨率的电子显微镜。
新加坡麻省理工学院研究与技术联盟的科学家成功研发的尺寸极小的发光二极管，这个发明在未来将会有着广泛的应用前景。随着技术的不断进步，我们相信微型LED将会走向更广阔的应用市场，并为我们带来更为便捷、节能、智能的全新科技体验。
英文版：Singaporean scientists have created the smallest light-emitting diode (LED). What is the practical value of this invention?
Scientists from the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology have developed the world's smallest light-emitting diode (LED), with an area of less than 0.14 square microns. What is the practical value of this invention?
Making more delicate phone screens.
Readers who have followed Xiaomi phones have certainly heard of the concept of "retina screens" proposed by Xiaomi. The retina screen means a high-resolution screen with a resolution exceeding the human eye's recognition limit. The pixel density can reach 326 pixels/inch (ppi). To achieve a retina screen, the LEDs inside the phone screen must be extremely small, exceeding the limit pixel size recognized by the retina. Such phone screens look very delicate. Achieving this effect requires micro-LED technology.
The LED in Xiaomi's retina screen is sized at 2,777,777.78 square microns. The new ultra-small light-emitting diode invented by Singapore scientists has a size of only 0.14 square microns, about one-twenty millionth of the pixel size on Xiaomi's retina screen. If this LED is applied to a phone screen, the visual effect produced would be indistinguishable from reality to the naked eye. Due to its tiny size, such phone screens can express almost all colors, and their color effects exceed those of film. Moreover, this kind of LED has high luminous efficiency and power-saving features, which can further reduce the phone's screen power consumption.
Applied to virtual reality glasses.
In wearable devices, due to the close distance between the human eye and the screen, and the magnifying effect of the lens in virtual display glasses, the screen will have a strong sense of pixelation. If this micro-LED is made into a screen and applied to wearable devices, the human eye will not see any LED pixels. Virtual reality images will be more lifelike, and users will have a feeling of being on the scene.
Some readers may have seen the TV drama adaptation of "The Three-body Problem" by Liu Cixin. In the drama, the protagonist enters the Three-body game using wearable devices and feels like he is on the scene. Currently available wearable devices on the market cannot achieve this effect, but with the new micro-LED technology, this effect can now be realized.
More application scenarios.
Highly efficient micro-LEDs will be used in high-speed computing and data transfer. For example, in data centers or cloud-based applications, micro-LEDs will help achieve faster data transfer and more efficient information processing. Due to their high brightness and intensity, micro-LEDs also have enormous potential in medical laser surgery and other fields. By using this type of LED, we can produce higher-resolution electron microscopes as well.
Scientists from the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology have successfully developed extremely small light-emitting diodes that will have a wide range of future applications. With continuous technological advancement, we believe that micro-LEDs will find broader applications in the market and bring us a new era of convenient, energy-efficient, and intelligent technology experiences.