Improvement of the low gray-level expression using hybrid pulse width modulation and pulse amplitude modulation driving method for a micro light-emitting diode pixel circuit

Abstract

A novel hybrid pulse width modulation (PWM) and pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) (HPP) driving method is proposed for improving the low gray-level expression of a micro light-emitting diode (µLED) display. At the high and middle gray-levels, PWM is adopted in order to suppress the wavelength shift of µLEDs. At the low gray-level, PAM is applied when the emission time and current of µLEDs simultaneously decrease. The HPP driving method is simulated by using a simplified p-type low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistor (TFT)-based µLED pixel circuit. HPP driving exhibits stable PWM and PAM operations. Furthermore, HPP driving guarantees a data voltage range approximately 14 times larger than PWM driving, thus resulting in a robust operation with a maximum error rate of 3.83% under data signal distortion. Consequently, the µLED pixel circuit adopting HPP driving improves the low gray-level expression and demonstrates a robust circuit operation.