Researchers from the University of Michigan, trying to make OLED brighter but still efficient, discovered that a pyramid-shaped OLED lamp is more efficient than a flat panel shape. The idea is that the reflective OLEDs are emitting in the inside of the pyramid, and all the light comes out of the open base.
The surface emitting light on the inside is more than four times larger than the opening at the base of the pyramid, but the whole pyramid consumes about three times less electricity than trying to achieve the same brightness with a flat panel the size of the base. In addition, the researchers found out that this device achieves a better light distribution (the "halo" effect).
The researchers think that building a different structure, in which the edges and points of the pyramid are smoothed out into a shape similar to a champagne glass will make it even more efficient - with up to 10 times the brightness of a flat panel. The researchers are using phosphorescent panels.
This is an interesting development. But of course this ruins the design freedom you achieve with flat, flexible panels.
