Nitride Micro-LEDs toward Biointegrated Platforms: Growth, Integration, and Emerging Applications

Microlight-emitting diodes (μLEDs) are rapidly emerging as functional light sources for next-generation consumer electronics, as demonstrated by recent commercial adoption in premium TVs and smartwatches. They exhibit superior brightness, efficiency, color purity, switching speed, and robustness compared to other light-emitting technologies. These attributes position μLEDs as a promising platform for biointegrated platforms, enabling modalities with unparalleled spatiotemporal resolution in both wearable and implantable devices. Recent breakthroughs in nitride-based μLEDs are further closing the gap in accelerating their deployment in physiological sensing and therapeutic applications. Here, we highlight how advances in nitride μLED technology can transform biointegrated optoelectronic systems, and offer a perspective on future opportunities. We first discuss key progress in nitride epitaxy that eliminates the reliance on toxic compounds, enabling biocompatible, all-nitride-based full-color visible μLEDs with high efficiency and integrability. We then describe advancing integration strategies that could allow these μLEDs to be assembled on soft, unconventional platforms and be interfaced with biological systems. Finally, we illustrate how nitride-based μLEDs can reshape wearable and implantable systems for sensing and therapeutic applications, while outlining remaining challenges and future directions toward μLED-based biointegrated systems.