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ZL2VAL > TECHNO 01.08.03 19:53l 89 Lines 4168 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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Subj: Organic LEDs on the way
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From: ZL2VAL@ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC
To : TECHNO@WW
On the Edge: Organic Light Emitting Diodes
By Diane Stresing
Special to SPACE.com
posted: 07:00 am ET
01 August 2003
Organic Light Emitting Diodes, or OLEDs, sounds like something new, but
it has been in development for some time. Kodak began experimenting with
the technology back in the 1980s to replace non-organic materials in
photo conductors. But, the industry that produces OLEDs believes the
technology is destined to play a big part in display development in the
very near future. Analysts project OLEDs to be a $1 billion business by
2008.
Because OLEDs are self-luminescent—they glow when an electrical field is
applied to them -- they don’t require a backlight or reflective light
source. This allows them to be thinner, lighter, and more efficient than
LCDs. The newest OLEDs benefit from a host of improvements in technology
and manufacturing processes. The various formats include Flexible OLEDs
(FOLED), Stacked, High-Resolution OLEDs (SOLED), and even Transparent
OLEDs (TOLED).
Bram Roukema, senior product marketing manager at DuPont Displays,
praises the quality of OLEDs versus LCDs. He points out that OLEDs in
any size offer "better brightness and contrast, better response times,
and more natural-looking video" than other flat panel technologies. OLED
developers and manufacturers are hoping to get a slice of the $60
billion flat panel display market, but Roukema says costs must drop
before OLEDs can push aside plasma and LCD. The OLED story isn’t just
about money, however. It’s about a lighting revolution.
The newest OLEDs are skinnier than ever and are extremely flexible. In
March, Universal Display Corporation (UDC) unveiled a display less than
.7-mm thick, nimble enough to wrap around a golf ball, with 4,096 pixels
and a resolution of 80 dpi. Ideas for the use of these FOLEDs include
automobile dashboards, rollable displays, and incorporation into
military uniforms. TOLEDs can be built right into window panels, such as
automobile windshields, eyeglasses, and store windows.
While the use of OLEDs in full-sized computer monitors may be a year or
more away, several cell phones and digital cameras featuring full-color,
active-matrix OLEDs debuted this spring. LG’s 6000 camera phone and
Kodak’s EasyShare LS633 digital camera are just two examples. Screen
sizes are increasing quickly, too. Recently Samsung and Sony
demonstrated AMOLED (Active Matrix OLED) display prototypes that
measured 15-and 24-inches respectively. You just might find an OLED
screen on your laptop soon.
Janice Mahon, VP of Technology Commercialization, says significant
challenges remain. OLEDs are at least somewhat water-soluble, so finding
the ideal sealant (or creating a new one) is a key issue. One promising
option is a thin-film barrier coating called Barix. Made by Vitex
Systems, Barix can be applied directly to the OLED surface, possibly
replacing the second piece of plastic substrate used as a "lid."
Other issues with current OLED technology include uniformity of output
across the entire screen, and accuracy of color. The most critical
hurdle facing the adoption of OLEDs, though, is their longevity. Whereas
LCDs generally have a life expectancy of around 100,000 hours, OLEDs
begin to fade after 3,000-to-4,000 hours.
One big development in the advancement of OLED technology was the
announcement by DuPont earlier this year of a brand name for OLED
products: Olight. DuPont is building a network of partners, including
UDC, to bring Olight products to market in the near future. With this
sort of backing, it may not be long before OLEDs begin brightening up
your life.
==============================
73 de Alan
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