September 2013

Researchers from the University of Utah, Bonn and Regensburg developed a new wagon-wheel (or rotelle-pasta) shaped OLED molecule that emits non-polarized (random) light.Those oligomers, or wrapped-up polymers may enable OLEDs more efficient than polymer based OLEDs (PLEDs).

The researchers explain that current poylmer OLED molecules (which are shaped like spaghetti pasta, to continue the same metaphore) emit polarized light. Some of that light get trapped inside the OLED device and this makes it less efficient. They say that up to 80% of the generated light may be trapped in the OLED because it is polarized.

Yesterday I posted about UCLA's new EPLED device, a highly-flexible elastic polymer light emitting device. At first I thought it was an OLED (they state so several times in the UCLA press release). But it turns out that it is actually a LEC device (a polymer LEC, or PLEC) and not an OLED.

The researchers explain that they chose P-LEC (polymer-LEC) device architecture and not OLED because it's simpler, there's no need for specific electrode work functions for charge injection and it has a straightforward fabrication process, compatible with conventional polymer processing technique.

Samsung launched a new cinema advertisement campaign in the UK for the S9C curved OLED TV. The campaign slogan is "life in every pixel" (obviously hinting at the fact that Samsung is using Direct-Emission as opposed to LG's WRGB design). I personally don't like this specific ad, but it's great to see Samsung continue push its OLED technology to consumers:

Samsung's S9C (KN55S9C), now shipping in the US for $8999, is a Full-HD 55" curved OLED TV that offers the "perfect picture quality" (according to Samsung) as the distance from the viewer to the TV screen is the same from almost any angle. It sports a "timeless arena" design (the display is placed within a luxurious frame whose curved shape mirrors the curvature of an arena).

Nanomarkets released a new report on Quantum dots (Market Opportunities for Quantum Dots in Lighting and Displays) in which they discuss, QD-Enhanced LCDs, light-emitting QDs (QDLEDs) and QD in lighting. They say that QDLEDs may challenge OLEDs in the future as they are more efficient and last longer. Nanomarkets forecasts that in 2018 QD-LED sales will reach $7.3 billion.

The Quantum Dot material market will reach $200 million in 2018 and this will grow to $560 million by 2020. QD-Enhanced LCDs (which are already by sold by Sony) will grow to reach $10.5 billion in retail by 2016. Most companies will license the technology although some big display companies are dong their own R&D.

Fujifilm and imec have jointly developed a new photoresist-based OLED (and other organic semiconductors) patterning technology that can enable sub-micron patterns. The new process uses existing i-line photolithography equipment and may be a cost-effective production method for high resolution devices.

Photoresist technologies are based on photo-sensitive materials that cause photochemical reaction when exposed to light. This technology is already used for microfabrication in semiconductor production. The new process builds on Fujifilm's synthetic-organic chemistry material design technology.

Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear are now both shipping in the UK. An unlocked Galaxy Note 3 costs £659 (about $1,050) and you can also buy it from almost all major carriers. The Gear costs £299 ($480, but you get a £100 discount if you buy both). Both devices are not shipping in the US yet, but are available for pre-order.

The Galaxy Note 3 features a 5.7" Full-HD Super AMOLED display (386 PPI), a 2.3 Quad-Core CPU (or a 1.9 Ghz octa-core in some markets), 3 GB of RAM, 32/64GB of storage, a 13 MP camera (will be capable of 4K videos in some markets) and Android 4.3. It is smaller and lighter than the Note 2.

Applied Materials and Tokyo Electron (TEL) will merge into a new company that will have a market value of $29 billion. Applied shareholders will own approximately 68% of the new company and Tokyo Electron shareholders approximately 32%. The new company name is still unknown. Applied Materials is considered to be the world's leader in deposition and process control. According to Gartner, In 2012 Applied held 14.4% of the global semiconductor manufacturing equipment market and TEL had 11.1%.

Both companies are engaged with OLED manufacturing equipment. Applied Materials is offering two film deposition systems suitable for LTPS or Oxide-TFT backplane deposition (for both LCD and OLEDs panels). The AKT-PX-PECVD system (shown below) is sed to deposit LTPS films on large glass substrates (sized from 1.6 m² to 5.7 m²). The AKT-PiVoT PVD system is used to deposit metal oxide-based TFTs (IGZO in particular).

Update: It turns out that this device is actually a polymer LEC device and not an OLED.

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) developed transparent elastic silver-nanowire based electrodes that enabled them to create a polymer based elastic LEC device that can be repeatedly stretched, folded and twisted (at room temperature) without effecting its shape and lighting properties. They call the new device EPLED (elastomeric polymer light-emitting device) and they managed to fabricate a 5x5 pixel Passive Matrix one:

The EPLED is the whole device, and it include electrodes made from a rubbery polymer with the silver nanowires embedded in it and a polymer LEC. The EPLED can still emit light even when exposed to strains as large as 120% and can survive repeated continuous stretching cycles. The researchers say that their solution-based fabrication process, used to create the prototype above, is scalable.

Update: Apparently two Samsung officials confirmed those reports. First up was mobile strategic marketing chief, D.J. Lee that said that a new phone with a curved display will be introduced in South Korea in October. Park Sang-jin, Samsung SDI's CEO told reporters that the new device will use a plastic OLED display.

Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 3 earlier this month, with a 5.7" Full-HD Super AMOLED display (386 PPI). Before this launched we heard many reports that the Note 3 will be the first phone to sport a plastic-based unbreakable flexible YOUM display. Some of these reports came from credited sources such as the OLED Association.

One of the more interesting reports suggested that Samsung is actually preparing several Note 3 variants, each with a different display. A regular AMOLED will be the most popular one, but Samsung may use an LCD in some variants (this is probably because AMOLED supply may be very tight).

An anonymous tipper just sent us this interesting info. It is reported that LG is going to launch the gallery OLED TV in the Nederlands soon, with the model number being 55EA8809. The OLED TV will cost €8,999 and will start selling on two local retailers (Media Market and Saturn) on September 27.

LG 55EA9800

But the really interesting news is that Austria's TUV (Technischer Ãœberwachungs-Verein, an Austrian-German technical inspection association) and Unity Media (a German cable TV operator) just certified a new 75" TV from LG - and the new model number is 75EA9809 which probably means it is an OLED TV.