By SOUMYA SHYAMASUNDAR

ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING DIODES

WHAT IS AN OLED?
OLED - Organic Light Emitting Diode An organic light emitting diode (OLED) is a light-emitting diode (LED) in which the emissive electroluminescent layer is a film of organic compounds which emit light in response to an electric current. This layer of organic semiconductor material is situated between two electrodes. Generally, at least one of these electrodes is transparent.

Organic Semiconductors
 These are not crystals.  Their band structure is different as the molecules

are held together by pi-bonds.  They are mainly polymers.  Conduction is different. Electrons may wander about the polymer.  Doping is difficult and hence is not usually done. The electrons and holes a provided by the attached material.

WORKING PRINCIPLE
 A typical OLED is composed of a layer of

organic materials situated between two electrodes, the anode and cathode, all deposited on a substrate. When electric Current is applied to the two conductors, a bright, electro-luminescent light is produced directly from the organic material. These materials have conductivity levels ranging from insulators to conductors, and therefore are considered organic semiconductors.

 Originally, the most basic polymer OLEDs

consisted of a single organic layer.  However multilayer OLEDs can be fabricated with two or more layers in order to improve device efficiency.

What the Flexible Organic Light Emitting Diode Consist of :

The Top Layer is the Cathode layer made of tungsten releases electrons when current is run through it. Emissive Layer removes electrons from the cathode layer to make light. Conductive layer is made from a type of organic plastic that removes the electron wholes Then the Anode Layer that consist of removing and adding electron holes while the current is running through it and is made from graphite particles Followed by the Substrate layer is used to support the Organic LED and is made up of glass, clear plastic

Architecture of OLEDs
Substrate (clear plastic, glass, foil) - The substrate supports the OLED. Anode (transparent) - The anode removes electrons (adds electron

"holes") when a current flows through the device.

Organic layer: o Conducting layer - This layer is made of organic plastic molecules that transport "holes" from the anode. One conducting polymer used in OLEDs is polyaniline. o Emissive layer - This layer is made of organic plastic molecules (different ones from the conducting layer) that transport electrons from the cathode; this is where light is made. One polymer used in the emissive layer is polyfluorene. Cathode (may or may not be transparent depending on the type of OLED) - The cathode injects electrons when a current flows through the device.

HOW DO OLEDS CREATE LIGHT?

 OLEDs emit light in a similar manner to LEDs, through a

process called electrophosphorescence. The process is as follows:  The battery or power supply of the device containing

the OLED applies a voltage across the OLED.  An electrical current flows from the cathode to the anode through the organic layers (an electrical current is a flow of electrons).
The cathode gives electrons to the emissive layer of organic molecules. The anode removes electrons from the conductive layer of organic molecules. (This is the equivalent to giving electron holes to the conductive layer.)

At the boundary between the emissive and the conductive layers, electrons find electron holes. When an electron finds an electron hole, the electron fills the hole (it falls into an energy level of the atom that's missing an electron). When this happens, the electron gives up energy in the form of a photon of light The OLED emits light. The colour of the light depends on the type of organic molecule in the emissive layer. Manufacturers place several types of organic films on the same OLED to make colour displays. The intensity or brightness of the light depends on the amount of electrical current applied: the more current, the brighter the light.

 

Types of OLEDs
Passive OLEDs 1. The organic layer is between strips of cathode and anode that run perpendicular. 2. The intersections form the pixels. 3. Easy to make. 4. Use more power. 5. Best for small screens . Active OLEDs 1. Full layers of cathode and anode. 2. Anode over lays a thin film transistor (TFT). 3. Requires less power. 4. Higher refresh rates. 5. Suitable for large screens.

MANUFACTURING PROCESS

OLED Displays Vs. LCD and Plasma

        

Much faster response time Consume significantly less energy Able to display "True Black" picture Wider viewing angles Thinner display Better contrast ratio Safer for the environment Has potential to be mass produced inexpensively OLEDs refresh almost 1,000 times faster then LCDs

OLED Lighting Vs. Incandescent and Fluorescent

   

Cheaper way to create flexible lighting Requires less power Better quality of light (ie. no "Cold Light") New design concepts for interior lighting

Advantages and Benefits of Organic Light Emitting Diodes

       

They have the potential to be able to be produced much more cheaply than conventional LED s, LCD s and plasma televisions using processes derived from ink-jet printing Potential to produce much larger displays compared to LCD and plasma display technology, i.e. a more scalable production process Improved range of colours and brightness compared to LCD and plasma displays Potentially very energy efficient They can be deposited on large substrates enabling large areas to be illuminated Lighter than LED s Flexible Can produce a true black and infinite contrast ratio

Problems with OLED

 OLED seems to be the perfect technology for

all types of displays, but it also has some problems:  Lifetime - While red and green OLED films have longer lifetimes (46,000 to 230,000 hours), blue organics currently have much shorter lifetimes (up to around 14,000 hours).  Manufacturing - Manufacturing processes are expensive right now.  Water - Water can easily damage OLEDs.

Applications of OLEDs
 TVs  Cell Phone screens  Computer Screens  Keyboards  Lights  Portable Device displays

Current Research for OLEDs

 Manufacturers focusing on finding a

cheap way to produce.

 "Roll-to-Roll" Manufacturing.  Increasing efficiency of blue luminance.  Boosting overall lifespan

Future Uses for OLED

Transparent Car Navigation System on Windshield Using Samsungs' transparent OLED technology Heads up display GPS system

Scroll Laptop Nokia concept OLED Laptop