The OLED in OLED technology stands for organic light-emitting diodes and refers to carbon-based materials that emit light when electricity is applied through them. OLED technology is used primarily in premium lighting fixtures, but it is becoming more widespread in the development of screens, including televisions, smartphones, computers, and other devices.
OLED displays offer efficiency and premium image quality, with thin screens that can be made transparent and have the potential to be so flexible they can be rolled, folded, or even stretched.
Duncan Clark, Nextgen Nano’s Director of Operations, has been part of a team developing next generation low-voltage blue OLEDs, using New Fusion technology based on earth-friendly renewable compounds rather than rare precious metals.
While green and red OLED light typically has a high efficiency, blue OLED can be poorly stable. New Fusion technology from Nextgen Nano has the potential to create products with half the operating voltage of current OLED technology, and with a significantly longer lifespan.
The infographic attachment looks at some of the primary advantages of using OLED technology over LCD technology in display screen manufacture.
How OLED Works
OLED technology is made up of two conductors, with a series of thin layers of organic films placed in between. These films are organic because they are composed of a compound of hydrogen and carbon – and as there are no rare metals used, OLED technology is very green. A bright light is emitted from the OLED once an electrical current is applied.
The carbon-based material is called the OLED emitter, as this is where the light comes from when in use. The two conductors sandwiching the layers of OLED emitters are a cathode at one side, which injects electrons into the system, and an anode at the other end, which removes the electrons.
An OLED panel is comprised of a substrate, backplane, frontplane, and an encapsulation layer. The encapsulation layer helps prevent issues relating to the sensitivity of OLEDs to moisture and oxygen. The backplane and substrate are very similar to those used in LED screen manufacture, but the front plane in OLEDs is unique. Most use vacuum evaporation to pattern and deposit the organic layers.
Blue Light Emissions
It is known that blue light emissions from electronic devices can cause a variety of minor health issues when overused, including eye fatigue and sleep problems. OLED display screens on average have 70% less blue light emissions than LCD screens, which makes them healthier for long-term use.
As the technology improves, blue light emissions are dropping even further. Blue light has more energy per photon than red or green light, which can disrupt sleep. The latest OLED panel introduced by Samsung has reduced blue light emissions to such a degree that the screen has been certified by the SGS as an ‘Eye Care Display’. Using efficient OLED screens can therefore have health benefits and help promote healthy sleep patterns.
Samsung is currently the leading producer of AMOLED technology, which is active-matrix organic light-emitting diode technology. AMOLED is more efficient than PMOLED, or passive-matrix organic light-emitting diode technology, although PMOLED is still significantly cheaper and simpler to produce.
In the short video attachment, you can find out more about the potential advantages which OLED technology offers for light sources.