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Researchers Squeeze 60% More Light Out of OLEDs With Tiny Lenses
Posted by John Mahoney at 5:40 AM on July 24, 2008
Optics junkies at the University of Michigan have found a way to greatly boost the efficiency of OLEDs to produce 60% more light from the same amount of power as those previous, cranking out 70 lumens per watt. Their method uses a layer of five-micrometer-wide lenses mounted on top of a reflective grid, which coaxes the light out from the organic substrate and into the world. OLEDs to date have been held back by efficiency problems--they still can't match CFL bulbs' 90 lumens per watt, but they're getting there. This could mean lighting that adds even less power consumption to OLED's many benefits over compact fluorescents (longer life, better light, theoretical 100% efficiency, etc), and more energy-sipping OLED TV panels down the road. [Technology Review via DVICE]
Tags: efficient | energy | lighting | lights | oleds | optics | science | tvs
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Boycey
Posted July 24, 2008 3:21 PM
I think I saw something about this on ABC's New Inventors about 6 months ago where a husband and wife in a back yard lab figured out how to make the OLEDs brighter by using the same method. It's a great leap forward whoever came up with it first.
FritzLaurel
Posted 9:08 AM 24/7/08
I don't know about you, but my OLEDs are plenty powerful as they are...
FritzLaurel
Felix26591
Posted 7:20 AM 24/7/08
Yeah they are a bit expensive right now but like any technology time and research removes the kinks and someday, probably very near future they are going to figure out how to print OLEDs in bigger sheets
Felix26591
TerryinSt.Paul
Posted 6:59 AM 24/7/08
This sounds great in theory but aren't the only OLED TVs out there $2500 for an 11 incher. What kind of person would spend that much on an 11" TV? I can only assume noone on gizmodo. At least not this guy anyway.
TerryinSt.Paul
Log1c
Posted 6:45 AM 24/7/08
@whiteknight: That's what happens with stuff out of MIT.
Log1c
whiteknight
Posted 5:58 AM 24/7/08
Very interesting. Technology Review keeps up on a lot of exciting tech but it's very heady.
whiteknight
sonophy
Posted 5:48 AM 24/7/08
Absolutely brilliant, at last tangible progress. Soon I can carpet my flat with these gems.
sonophy
jamesuschrist
Posted 11:59 AM 24/7/08
The 70lumen/watt vs 90lumen/watt comparison is misleading. CFL backlit displays run at full blast for every pixel. The LCD doesn't produce light, i selectively blocks it. With OLED only the parts of the display that are lighting up are receiving any power.
jamesuschrist
Noobs-R-Us
Posted 11:57 AM 24/7/08
For those who don't understand what's vaporware^2, let me explain. It's something we'll never see for something that we'll never see.
Noobs-R-Us
Noobs-R-Us
Posted 11:56 AM 24/7/08
Great! Vaporware^2.
Noobs-R-Us
LittleJon
Posted 4:55 PM 24/7/08
@jamesuschrist: If I understand correctly, this work is aimed at increasing the efficiency of white LED lighting panels for commerical and domestic illumination, not for OLED screens.
Incidentally, UDC has already achieved 100 lumens/W in their phosphorescent OLEDs. Their being partly funded by a Dept. of Energy initiative that's aiming to get 150 lumens/W to the market by 2015.
[www.eetimes.eu]
LittleJon
Hello_Newman
Posted 3:40 PM 25/7/08
Any progress in making Olympic Womens Gymnastics in Hi-Def look better is a noble effort. Stop the hating of OLED TV's cheaper so we can marvel at pert buttocks in our own homes. If we stop viewing pert buttocks, the terrorist win.
Hello_Newman