Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (Fraunhofer IPMS) - Page 4

The EU launched a new project called HyperOLED with an aim to develop materials and matching device architectures for high-performance, hyperfluorescence TADF OLED emitters. HyperOLED is coordinated by Merck, and the project partners include MicroOLED and the Fraunhofer IOF institute. This three years project received a €4 million grant from the EU.

These OLED emitters will be realized by combining TADF molecular hosts with novel shielded fluorescence emitters, targeting saturated blue emission of very high efficiency at high brightness. The project will also achieve efficiency gains through molecular alignment to enhance light outcoupling.

Four companies in Germany have established a new industry alliance, the German OLED Technology Alliance, or GOTA. The aim of this alliance is to combine the experience of its partners in the area of OLED manufacturing. Each partner's expertise lies at a different stage of the value chain, and the four partners will support a joint sales effort - mostly in China, Taiwan and Japan.

The four partners are VON ARDENNE (systems engineering and technology development for PVD vacuum coating system), Notion Systems (functional materials inkjet platforms), Fraunhofer IAP (organic electronics research) and MBRAUN (protective gas atmosphere solutions).

Von Ardenne announced that the company developed an innovative machine to process flexible glass. The FOSA LABX 330 Glass enables a roll-to-roll glass coating process. This first of its kind machine was developed as part of the German KONFECT project, launched in 2015, together with partners Fraunhofer FEP, Schott and Tesa.

Von Ardenne now says that it intends to intensify its cooperation with the Fraunhofer FEP in the flexible glass coating field. The Fraunhofer will present coating samples of glass produced using the new machine for the first time at LOPEC 2017.

Update: The LOMID project was actually launched in 2015, the post below details its interim results...

The EU launched a new project called LOMID (Large cost-effective OLED microdisplays and their applications) that aims to develop next-generation large-area OLED microdisplays for VR and AR applications. The project's partners will produce flexible OLED microdisplays sized 13 x 21 mm (about 1-inch diagonal) with a resolution of 1200x1920 (2,300 PPI).

The project is led by the Fraunhofer FEP and other partners include MicroOLED, CEA-Leti and the University of Leipzig and the University of Oxford. The project will run until 31.12.2017. The Fraunhofer will demonstrate the prototype you see above at the SID-Mid-Europe Chapter Spring Meeting.

The European GLADIATOR project, led by the Fraunhofer Institute, developed a functional flexible OLED lighting panel based on graphene electrodes. This new panel is 2 x 1 cm in size - much larger the previous prototype developed as part of that project last year.

The GLADIATOR project will conclude in April 2017. In the following months, the researchers aim to improve the graphene electrode by minimizing the impurities and defects that occur during the transfer of the graphene sheet. The project's leader, Beatrice Beyer, estimate that such OLEDs with graphene electrodes could be commercialization within 2-3 years. In September 2015 Graphene-Info posted an interview with Beatrice, discussing the technology behind this project.

In March 2016 the EU launched a new project, called, PI-SCALE, that aims to create a European-wide pilot line which will enable companies of all sizes to quickly and cost effectively test and scale up their flexible OLED lighting concepts and turn them into market ready products.

As one of the core-founders in this project, the Fraunhofer FEP is soon set to present the first demonstrators of flexible OLED out from this project. The OLED prototype you see above was deposited using a roll-to-roll by Nippon Electric Glass, on an ultra-thin glass.

Researchers from the Fraunhofer FEP announced a new development that can reduce the power consumption of OLED microdisplays. The power reduction is enabled by new chip and control electronics, that now only handles pixel changes and does not refresh the entire display all at once.

The researchers say that this development enabled a drastic reduction in power consumption - which is somewhat surprising. The new microdisplays (which are monochrome - green) use 1 to 4 mW, which they say is a fraction of the power consumed by the Fraunhofer's previous generation display - a color (WOLED+CF) bi-directional OLED (so this is not a fair comparison of course).

In March 2015 the Fraunhofer FEP demonstrated its second-generation bi-directional OLED microdisplays, with a resolution of 800x600 (SVGA), up from VGA in the first generation first unveiled in 2012.

The Fraunhofer is now making a new development platform of these bi-directional eyeglasses, based on the new microdisplays, available to clients creating proprietary products. The updated platform has a new hardware design with standard HDMI and USB interfaces. The new eyeglasses were developed as part of the FAIR project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

The Fraunhofer Institute is working on alternative light sources for photo therapy, and Flexible OLED technology is prime candidate because it is light weight, can be flexed and does not produce almost any heat (unlike LED-based lighting).

Before flexible OLEDs are actually used in such treatment, though, it is important to know if OLEDs carry any potential toxic risks. The Fraunhofer FEP performed an initial study on in vitro cell cultures afflicted by defined damage. The researchers used flexible 10x10 cm green OLEDs, and found that the OLEDs positively stimulated the damaged cells, as expected. The tests showed now cytotoxity in the material systems, including when the OLEDs were bent (this increases the chance of material leakage from the OLEDs).

The Fraunhofer FEP, as part of its flex+ project, launched a new idea competition called flexMED. Fraunhofer is aiming to collect ideas for applications that combine flexible electronics and medicine and healthcare.

You can submit your ideas until July 31st, and the three winner will receive €3,000 in total. The Fraunhofer team says that they are looking for innovative ideas that leverage diverse possibilities of flexible electronics. They would especially value ideas that contribute to well-being, recovery and cure of patients.