GE Printing OLEDs
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 03.20.08
Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) are much more energy efficient than the "inorganic" kind. Its' quite likely that OLED's will one day make for ultra-thin TeeVees, lit architectural fascia, interior lighting, or back-lit signage. But, there has to be a fast, inexpensive way to manufacture OLEDs before the technology can spread to diverse consumer applications. Let's say it another way: before regular people can afford it. Wisely, GE is on the case.
They are using roll-printing techniques similar to that used for thin film photo-voltaic manufacturing. Somewhat similar to a paper-making machine. Amazing how one thing leads to another.
GE Global Research has reached a milestone in next-generation lighting, demonstrating the world's first roll-to-roll manufactured organic light emitting diodes.The research group said the newspaper printing-like process is key to making the next-generation lighting technology low-cost and commercially viable.
Can you imaging a kitchen cupboard with an underside that lights the counter-top below? We'll drink to that.
Roll out the barrel, we've got the blues on the run.
Via::CleanTech, "GE Shows How To Roll Out OLED's."
Organic LEDs are not more efficient than standard p-n junction LEDs. In fact they only recently demonstrated oLEDs with efficiencies near that of compact fluorescents (and the current efficiency leader for white light is the cold-cathode fluorescent).
Organic LEDs may shine when used in place of backlit LCD panels: instead of blocking the backlight to display colors, organic LED displays would directly light the color needed. Merely removing the subtractive part of the display gains you 100% increase in efficiency from removing the polarization.
Well yeah I can imagine it - people put lights under kitchen cabinets all the time.
Its the light as surface thing I am excited about! Not to mention the ease of installation for video/data screens! And the flexibility! Oh the places that will shine...
It's a tremendous advance, essentially freeing lighting from having to be bulb based and to have appreciable thickness. You could wallpaper the ceiling to light the room. A self-supporting origami lamp, or cut-to-size rolls of light, or every billboard could be a jumbotron - there are unlimited possibilities to this.
The printing technology basis for fabrication also suggests that there could be enormous improvements in manufacturing costs and volume.
All this assumes that it will be able to incorporate other improvements in light intensity and quality, as well as energy efficiency improvements.
A screen you roll up, stuff in a tube is around the corner.
Here's our newsfeed about OLED for lighting:
http://www.oled-info.com/oledForLighting
With other exciting news and advances in this field.