Oct 13 2007
Image Credit: Sorbis/Shutterstock.com
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) is any light-emitting diode (LED) whose emissive electroluminescent layer is comprised of a film of organic compounds. For OLEDs, this layer typically consist of a polymer substance and are a few hundred nanometers in thickness. A simple "printing" process is employed to deposit the polymer substrate onto a flat surface in rows and columns. As a result, the surface contains a matrix of pixels that is capable of emitting light of different colors.
Applications of OLED
The applications of OLEDs include TV Screens and Computer displays. They are also used for general illumination as a light source. OLED technology can also be found in other devices, such as the small screens for MP3 Players, digital cameras and mobile phones, the latter of which has proved one of the most profitable applications of OLEDs.
Advantages of OLED
The main advantages of using OLEDs in such portable devices, are their low power consumption and readability in sunlight due to the high light output. Because of the high light output, OLED can be lighter and thinner than display technologies such as LCDs since OLEDs do not require any backlighting.
Disadvantages of OLED
The disadvantages, or technical setbacks facing OLEDs, include the limited lifetime of the organic materials. The organic materials can also be damaged or destroyed by water penetrating the display of portable devices. Hence, the sealing processes during the manufacturing of such devices is crucial for increasing the longevity of the displays.
This article was updated on the 28th January, 2020