Technical / Research

Sim4tec releases a new version of the SimOLED software

oled — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:54:50 -0500

Sim4tec has released a new version (v2.0) of their OLED simulation software, SimOLED. The software now comes with two modules for electrical and optical simulations of OLED key figures.

SimOLED Electric can be used to calculate quantities like current density and current efficiency and to look at spatially resolved values of e.g. electric field and exciton densities. SimOLED Optic provides information about spectrally and angularly resolved emission, color coordinates and quantities related to power and external quantum efficiencies.

Both modules now contain features for automatic parameter variation and a completely redesigned tool for graphical representation of data. More information over at Sim4tec's site.

ITRI shows a new flexible color OLED prototype

oled — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:11:41 -0500

Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is showing a new flexible 4.1" color OLED display. They say that it's more flexible and 'softer' than their previous prototypes.

ITRI is also showing new e-paper displays.

Via PCWorld

The Fraunhofer institute plans to set up a roll-to-roll OLED fabrication line

oled — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:28:43 -0500

The Fraunhofer IPMS announced plans to set up roll-to-roll OLED equipment for 30cm-wide metal foil substrate in December. The new equipment will allow films to be formed continuously. The institute does not have any encapsulation equipment yet.

Via OLEDNet

Researchers drive an OLED display using Carbon Nanotubes

oled — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:04:35 -0500

Researchers from the University of Southern California has created a large functional array of transistors made using simple solution-processing methods from carbon nanotubes. These have been used to drive a simple 4" OLED display, and the group is now working towards a 'truly integrate' OLED display that is both flexible and transparent.

Carbon Nanotubes is a promising material for making control cibruit for displays - they are efficient, and can be used to make flexible and transparent displays. Now the USC researchers have found an 'easy' way to make large arrays of transistors with good performance.

Via MIT Technology Review

Nippon Electric Glass shows the world's slimmest OLED Lighting panel

oled — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:39:26 -0500

Nippon Electric Glass is showing the world's slimmest OLED Lighting panel - only 100 micrometer thick, using their ultra-slim glass substrate. They say that the panel has a high-level gas barrier properties, and that it can be easily bent.

Via OLEDNet

Philips: OLED Lighting will take 3-5 years to achieve good efficiencies

oled — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:59:28 -0500

There's an interesting story on Philips Lighting plans over at Tech-On, which obviously includes OLED Lighting. Philips are already shipping samples for quite some time (here's our review). Philips say that currently their OLED has an emission efficiency of 10lm/W to 20lm/W.

Philips OLED panel

They have already achieved 80lm/W "in the lab", but it will take at least 3 years to achieve 50lm/W at the production level, and 5 years to go beyond that.

ARM's new mobile phone reference design includes a WVGA AMOLED display

oled — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:12:27 -0500

ARM has presented their "Mobile Client 2010" reference design. Their new chip is the Cortex-A9 dual core CPU - these can be fast - up to 2Ghz, although for a mobile device this will probably be slower. It's not clear yet whether these chips will be ready for production in 2010.

The design also includes the ARM mali 400MP GPU and the screen of choice is a WVGA AMOLED.

Via Fudzilla

UDC and the FDC enhance their collaboation on flexible OLEDs for the US army

oled — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:24:31 -0500

Universal Display (FDC) and the Flexible Display Center (FDC) at Arizona State University announced that they have strengthened their collaboration to extend to the joint fabrication of prototype active-matrix PHOLEDs on flexible plastic substrates for the U.S. Department of Army. In addition, Universal Display announced that the company has been awarded a $650,000 U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II Enhancement contract to support this work.

UDC and the FDC believe that the enhanced relationship will accelerate the demonstration of the flexible AMOLEDs. Earlier in 2009, they have already demonstrated a 4.1" monochrome QVGA PHOLED display.

The Fraunhofer institute and Philips are working on a new way to apply OLED conductor paths

oled — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:13:23 -0500

The Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) is developing a new cost-efficient process for applying conductor paths to OLEDs. The new process also makes homogeneous luminosity for the OLED panels, thanks to micro-scale conductor paths.

When you make OLEDs, you apply metallic conductor paths to the anode layer (ITO - Indium Tin Oxide - or similar materials). The size of these conductor paths plays an important role here: if they are too wide the paths can affect the luminous homogeneity of the light source. Today the metallic conductor material has been applied to the OLED surface using a vacuum sputter process which is energy intensive, has up to 90% material loss and is expensive. It is also not environmental friendly as it uses metals that has to be disposed of after use. The conduct paths are wide, and so disrupt the homogeneous luminosity of the OLEDs.

New research combines a solar-cell, OLED panel and batteries in one module

oled — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:09:54 -0500

The Florida Energy Systems Consortium (a state-funded effort to bring together researchers from 11 universities to work on renewable energy technology development) is developing a new Solar Cell + OLED + Battery Module. They are using organic solar cells on top of an OLED Lighting panel. The solar-cell is charging lithium-ion batteries which are used to power the OLEDs at night.

The idea is that all 3 components use direct current, and so an inverter is not needed, which makes the whole package cheaper.

Via GreenTechMedia