January 2025

Researchers from Hasselt University, led by Prof. Wim Deferme, have discovered that adding an interface layer at the electron injection layer (EIL) can improve the efficiency of OLED devices. The researchers explain that the materials  improve the mobility of electrons towards the recombination layer, and so enhance the efficiency of he light emission. Metal chlorides lead up to an increase of 50% in efficiency as compared to device stacks without the interface layer.

The researchers tested several materials, including RbCl, CsCl, NaCl, and KCl as interfacial layers in OLED architectures, and has seen that these led to a substantial reduction in the potential energy barrier between the electron injection layer (EIL) and the aluminum (Al) electrode, accompanied by significant enhancements in irradiance. These enhancements in the performance of the OLEDs include a lower turn-on voltage (almost 50% reduction by addition of the RbCl layer), a higher electroluminescence intensity (25% higher than the reference device for the RbCl-based OLED), improved current density, enhanced operational stability compared to the reference devices, and enhanced external quantum efficiency (EQE) (20% higher for NaCl-based OLED).

Last month we reported that bankrupt US- and China-based OLED display maker Royole started a public auction to sell off its assets on the public Taobao's Ali Asset Platform, and have asked a starting price $170 million.

Following low interest, the company had to reduce the asking price, and it is now reported that it has managed to find a buyer, for $69 million USD. We do not know the buyer's identity, but it is speculated that it is HKC.

LG Display announced that in Q4 2024, the company's revenues increased 15% from the previous quarter (and 6% from Q4 2023), to reach 7.8 trillion Won ($5.4 billion USD). The company returned to profitability, with an operation profit of 83.1 billion won ($58 million USD).

LG Display continues to increase its OLED business, and the proportion of OLED products in total sales expanding by 7 percentage points to reach 55% in 2024 (and 60% in Q4 2024). The company reports a notable increase in shipments of AMOLED smartphone panels. 

We're happy to announce the 2025 edition of The Perovskite Handbook. This book is a comprehensive guide to perovskite materials, applications and industry. Perovskites are an exciting class of materials that feature a myriad of exciting properties and are considered the future of solar cells, displays, sensors, LEDs and more. The perovskite industry is at an inflection point, with dramatic investments and commitments, and perovskite could become important material to watch for all display developers. The handbook is now updated to January 2025 and lists recent developments and new companies, initiatives and research activities. 

Reading this book, you'll learn all about:

• Different perovskite materials, their properties and structure
• How perovskites can be made, tuned and used
• What kinds of applications perovskites may be suitable for
• What the obstacles on the way to a perovskite revolution are
• Perovskite solar cells, their merits and challenges
• Perovskite QDs, LEDs, and other applications
• The state of the perovskite market, potential and future

The book also provides: a history of perovskite research, a guide to perovskite companies and developers, information on leading collaboration and development projects, a comprehensive list of perovskite companies, market updates and much more!

Last week LG Electronics officially launched its 2025 OLED TV range, where some of the high-end models reaching 4,000 nits. LG Display today unveiled the technology behind these new OLED displays.

LGD's so-called META 3 WOLED panels (which are the company's 4th-gen WOLEDs) achieve 33% higher brightness to each a maximum of 4,000 nits. The new panels adopt a new stack structure that has two layers of blue emitters and two more layers, one with red emitters and one with green emitters. LGD refers to this architecture as a "Primary RGB Tandem structure". 

The Fraunhofer IMPS announced that it has developed an exceptionally bright OLED microdisplay, using a novel stack architecture. The new 0.62" SXGA monochrome (green) microdisplay achieves a brightness of 70,000 nits, and on reference substrates it has even achieved over 200,000 nits.

The new architecture uses a 3-stack architecture, which means that three complete OLED device stacks are placed on top of the other. This achieves high brightness, and also reduces the current density for a given brightness compared to a single stack device - and so enhances the lifetime of the device.

MicroLED-Info is happy to announce the 2025 edition of The MicroLED Handbook. This book is the industry's trusted and comprehensive guide to MicroLED display technology, industry and market. MicroLED displays are thin, efficient, bright and flexible and are on track to revolutionize the display industry. The handbook is now updated to January 2025 and lists recent developments and new companies, initiatives, products and research activities. This is a must read for display industry and OLED professionals, to learn all about the most promising next-generation display technology.

Reading this book, you'll learn all about:

• MicroLED technology, materials and production processes
• How MicroLEDs compare to LCDs and OLEDs
• What are the challenges towards commercial production
• LED technology and manufacturing processes
• MicroLED driving and full-color architectures
• The MicroLED displays currently on the market

The book also provides: an in-depth guide to MicroLED Microdisplays, potential applications of MicroLED displays, a comprehensive list of MicroLED companies, an introduction to other emerging display technologies (such as quantum dots and OLEDs), a current overview of the MicroLED market, market and industry forecasts and much more. Click here for more information, and to order the handbook.

Researchers from the Korea 's SNU, KAIST and KIMM developed a new lift-off process for flexible OLED displays, based on graphene. The researchers term the new method GLLO, or Graphene Laser Lift Off.

The researchers placed a single-layer CVD graphene film between the polyimide film and the glass carrier. The graphene, with its ability to absorb ultra-violet light and distribute heat laterally, enables a clean lift-off without any wrinkles or residues. Using the GLLO method, the researchers successfully separated 2.9 μm thick ultrathin PI substrates without any mechanical damage or carbon residue left behind. In contrast, traditional methods left the substrates wrinkled and the glass carriers unusable due to stubborn residues. This breakthrough has far-reaching implications for stretchable electronics and wearable devices.

Cambridge Isotope Laboratories (CIL) has successfully developed and implemented a game-changing benzene-d6 recovery program, addressing major pain points for manufacturers of OLED displays. This innovative service reduces costs, minimizes environmental impact, and conserves scarce deuterium supplies.

OLED display producers rely heavily on deuterated benzene (benzene-d6) as a critical starting material in their synthesis processes. However, this results in significant quantities of depleted benzene-d6, which is no longer usable but still retains considerable deuterium value. The disposal of such depleted material poses environmental challenges and substantial expenses.

CIL's benzene-recovery program offers a transformative solution. Customers can now return their depleted benzene-d6 to CIL, where it undergoes a proprietary re-enrichment process to restore it to virgin material quality. This service is available at a significant cost savings compared to new benzene-d6, providing significant economic benefits.

At CES 2025, Tianma unveiled a new display prototype that it has developed in collaboration with Corning. This is an automotive OLED display that is made from two 13-inch AMOLED panels. The company says the new display offers "unparalleled visual clarity in automotive applications". 

The new OLED display features a unique multi-curvature design, with a left curvature radius of R800mm for optimal driver focus, a middle curvature radius of R1140mm, and a right curvature radius of R2160mm to accommodate the passenger. The system seamlessly bonds two color-matched 13" OLED displays to the multi-curve cover glass made possible with Corning ColdForm technology.