Global Technology Transfer Group (GTT) has announced the availability of a patent portfolio dealing with improved OLED illumination stability and improvements to AMEL technology. This portfolio is entitled 'Display Technologies Patent Portfolio' and consists of six US patents, one that relates to OLED technology and five that relate to AMEL technology.

The OLED patent relates to an improved passive matrix OLED device that provides for a control mechanism to maintain uniform light output from individual pixel elements throughout the illumination period. The invention additionally claims a passive matrix OLED device that provides for a control mechanism that prevents overshoot and undershoot illumination.

In June, Universal Display announced a major breakthrough in white OLED power efficacy, 102 lm/W, in an all-phosphorescent OLED device. UDC reported that this device also provides an operating lifetime of 8,000 hours to 50% of initial luminance (at 1000 nits and without enhanced optical outcoupling), an operating voltage of 3.5 volts, a pleasing white color with a color rendering index (CRI) of 70, and a color temperature of 3,900 Kelvin.

The discovery and development of UniversalPHOLED phosphorescent OLED technology was a major breakthrough that has enabled the potential use of white OLEDs for solid-state lighting, said Steven V. Abramson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Display. Using this technology, power-efficient, bright and thin white OLEDs reduce energy consumption, while  remaining environmentally benign, especially compared to mercury-containing fluorescent lamps. White OLEDs also offer exciting new product design opportunities and an abundance of new  product applications. Our continuing advances in phosphorescent and white OLED technologies are now significantly accelerating solid-state OLED lighting towards commercial reality.

Digitimes reports that Nokia has decided that the capability to make AMOLEDs is a condition for the selection of its panel suppliers. Nokia expects AMOLED to play a major role in the market in the future.

Nokia already has OLED displays in a couple of high-end products (the 8800 Art, the 7900 Prism and the 6600). The AMOLED displays are so beautiful that they really make an impact (maybe Nokia also read C|Net's review of the iRiver SPINN)

AU Optronics (AUO) and TPO Display, two panel suppliers for Nokia, are gearing up the development of AMOLED applications, the sources indicated.

TPO said it has a team that has been developing AMOLED, and the company also runs a small test line for the segment. But for volume production to start in the future when its technologies mature, TPO will have to install more equipment, the company added.

Read more here (digitimes)

C|Net has reviewed the iRiver SPINN A/V player, and they are loving the 3.2" AMOLED display:

...and never have we seen a screen so crisp and so bright. Images are stunning; videos are smooth and sharp. In fact, in the video menus, moving thumbnails are used to illustrate listed videos, and there's enough detail given by the screen to make this look damn impressive.

Universal Display Corporation today announced its results for the quarter ended June 30, 2008. For the second quarter of 2008, the Company reported a net loss of $5,205,790, or $(0.15) per diluted share, versus a net loss of $5,175,371, or $(0.16) per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2007. For the six months ended June 30, 2008, net loss totaled $9,399,175, or $(0.26) per diluted share, versus a net loss of $9,759,172, or $(0.30) per diluted share for the same period of 2007.

Revenues for the second quarter of 2008 were $2,145,598, compared to $2,315,170 for the second quarter of 2007. Commercial revenue, which includes commercial chemical revenue, license fees and royalty income, increased to $1,395,487 for the quarter, from $392,926 for the second quarter of 2007. Developmental revenue, which includes contract research revenue, technology development revenue and development chemical sales, decreased to $750,111 for the quarter, compared to $1,922,244 for the second quarter of 2007.
For the six-months ended June 30, 2008, the company reported revenues of $4,862,417, compared to $5,329,800 for the same period of 2007. Commercial revenue for the first six months of 2008 increased to $2,950,552, compared to $1,833,826 for the same period of 2007. Developmental revenue for the first six months of the year decreased to $1,911,865, compared to $3,495,974 for the same period of 2007.

"The second quarter continued the trend of revenues transitioning toward the commercial side," said Sidney D. Rosenblatt, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Universal Display. "Though government contracts and other developmental work continue to be an important part of our revenue makeup, the volume production and sales of AMOLED displays produced by our licensees, like Samsung SDI, are making up a larger portion of our total revenues. We expect this to continue in coming quarters as production capacity is increased on a number of AMOLED display lines, display manufacturers begin producing new larger-area displays, and the demand for AMOLED displays continues to rise."

Mr. Rosenblatt continued, "As AMOLED displays continue to gain commercial traction and acceptance, we are also excited about the potential for white OLED lighting products. Recently, we announced that our Universal PHOLED(TM) phosphorescent OLED technology had achieved a record-breaking power efficacy for a white OLED of 102 lumens per watt (lm/W) at 1000 cd/m2. We also announced a new contract with the U.S. Department of Energy, and Armstrong World Industries, Inc. as a subcontractor, to develop a ceiling-based OLED lighting system for possible commercial application. Our Universal PHOLED(TM) technology is not only important for the future of displays and lighting, but now it is being applied more broadly in the present as well."

Operating expenses for the second quarter of 2008 were $8,075,543, compared to $8,313,675 for the same period of 2007. Net cash used in operating activities for the second quarter of 2008 was $6,278,728, compared to $6,874,526 for the same quarter of 2007.
The Company's balance sheet remains strong at quarter end, with cash, cash equivalents and investments totalling $79,889,236 as of June 30, 2008, compared to $83,659,657 as of December 31, 2007.

Sony is selling their OLED TV (XEL-1) for 2,500$, but Engadget reports that Sam's club is selling the same TV for only 1,748$. It's still not clear if this is just one store or whether it's in several US stores... and still the price is very high of course for a 11" TV.

Read more here (Engadget) 

Leadis Technology today announced sample availability of the LDS535, a 480 channel, one billion-color AMOLED source driver IC. The device has CMOS data and RSDS (Reduced Swing Differential Signaling) interface and also incorporates state-of-the-art features such as 10 bits gray level capability, VDD power regulator and RGB Separate Gamma.

The LDS535 is targeted at mid-sized AMOLED displays supporting WQVGA to SVGA resolution with CMOS data interface. The state-of-the-art features of the LDS535 make it an ideal solution for devices requiring vivid color display with low power consumption, such as PMP, DMB, electronic dictionary and other home applications.

"With this AMOLED driver we are extending a leadership position in the existing AMOLED mobile display market to the emerging variable portable electronics products market," said Keeho Kim, GM of the Display Driver Business Unit at Leadis. "This is the first of many products that we are developing for the mid-size AMOLED display market."

MicroEmissive Displays (MED) has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Universal Scientific Industrial Co Ltd (USI) of Taiwan. The MOU with this leading global design and manufacturing services company will lead to the production of plug-and-play P-OLED display modules for the mobile multimedia accessories market.

The MOU sets out a framework for the collaborative partnership between MED and USI to develop and produce Head Mounted Display (HMD) modules incorporating the eyescreen microdisplay from MED. Under the agreement USI will assemble complete display modules, which will be offered as a turnkey solution to the major players in the global HMD market.

The P-OLED eyescreenTM from MED offers exceptional image quality without the need of backlighting, this along with its size and power efficiency enables it to be directly attached to the HMD bridge thereby reducing manufacturing complexity.

The ISIS synchrotron at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, UK, has launched a second target station for neutron beams which will allow scientists to study a range of new systems: from polymers and materials that sequester carbon dioxide, to soft matter and biomaterials. 

Experiments on the £145 million station at the facility - which is owned and run by the Science and Technology Facilities Council - are expected to start in October 2008, following five years of design and construction. A test beam to generate the first neutrons at the new target was due to be fired in the first week of August. From 2009, scientists around the world will be invited to apply for beam time.

Seven neutron scattering instruments have been initially installed at the target station. The first instrument to receive neutrons will be Inter, a high-resolution, high-flux reflectometer designed by ISIS scientist John Webster to study chemical interfaces by bouncing neutrons off them. 

Inter will study a wide variety of systems, says Webster - including the behaviour of biosurfactants, the interfaces between layers of thin polymer films used in organic LED screens, and the way drug molecules interact with membranes in the body.