3D OLEDs

PureDepth announced today that they have acquired a patent for Multi-Layer 3D OLED displays. PureDepth Multi-Layer-Displays (MLD) use two or more displays that are placed one in front of the other to create 3D effects. These 3D displays do not require glasses and provide real depth.

One of the markets the PureDepth are targeting are mobile devices, and wants to use OLEDs as they are becoming more and more popular in that market.

Via 3D-Display-Info

Tech-On has posted an interesting article about OLED TV status. They discuss the situation of the technology, why is it so difficult to make a large OLED panel, and how are the various TV makers trying to solve the issues.

I think the two most interesting points are: 

• They suggest that because LCDs have got so good in terms of efficiency,thinness and quality, it'll be hard for OLEDs to compete. Instead companies try to open new markets with transparent or flexible OLEDs, things that cannot be done with LCDs. Indeed we can see Samsung, Sony and LG all showing these kinds of displays. I think we may also add 3D OLED TVs to the mix here.
• They say that LG plans to volume produce 20" OLED panels in 2010. This is the first time we hear of such plans (beside a promise for 'larger panels' a few weeks ago). LG also plans 30" OLED TVs in 2011, and 40" in 2012.

Here's the link to Tech-On's article.

So 2010 is here, and we're still waiting for a real commercial OLED TV. While OLEDs are advancing quickly in smart phones and digital cameras, it seems that no one is willing to commit to large panels - OLEDs are still very expensive to make. Another problem facing OLED TVs is LCDs - in the past few years LCDs have gotten thinner, cheaper, more efficient and they look better.

One area in which LCDs do not shine, though is 3D. This was the hot topic at CES - many companies (including Sony, Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Toshiba and more) have shown their 3D Displays, and announced future models. However it seems that LCDs are not so good for 3D viewing. In fact Plasma (and OLED) TVs are much better. LCDs has problems with fast switching of photos, and there's "crossover" between the left and right image (more information on 3D TVs here). OLEDs is even faster and better than Plasma, and is said to be the best way to view 3D. Both Sony and Samsung have unveiled new OLED 3D TV prototypes in CES. 

Sony 24.5-inch 3D OLED prototype

If consumers will actually be interested in 3D TVs at home (nobody is sure about that yet...) than this might be great chance for OLED TVs. OLEDs will look better and have a real advantage over LCDs, and consumers might be willing to pay more for a high-end 3D TV.

Sony are showing a new 24.5" 3D OLED TV prototype. This is just a technology demo, Sony hasn't announced any plans for newer and larger OLED TVs yet. Engadget say that they are "blown away once more by the sheer vibrancy and clarity of the output".

It's still good to see Sony still working on OLED TV technology. There are some reports that Sony has abandoned OLEDs altogether.

Samsung Mobile Display will show three new OLED displays today:

• 14" qFHD (960x540) 3D OLED prototype. This display has a contrast of 100,000:1, color gamut of over 100% NTSC and is only 1.6mm. OLEDs are great as 3D Displays - the image switching is very fast, and there's no optical crosstalk between the two 3D images, according to Samsung.
• 14" qFHD (960x540) transparent OLED prototype. The transparency is 40% when the display is off. Samsung say that this display will "soon be used to display actual transparent products" in Note PCs (although it's not clear why you'd want a transparent display for your laptop).
• 2" OLED operated by RF power (for ID cards and passports). It seems to be the same display shown in June.

Samsung is showing a new 30" 3D AMOLED panel. It's got Full-HD resolution, and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. The width is 2.5mm. It uses Samsung's SEAV (Simultaneous Emission with Active Voltage) 3D technology. To view the 3D image, one must use special glasses.

Via Samsung

UPDATE: DisplaySearch says that the display is not stable, and SMD only showed it for a few hours and then moved it to another location.

Eiji Shiko from the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, developed an OLED device that emits circularly polarized light in the visible light range. This could enable 3D displays on OLEDs.

To produce the circularly polarized light in the visible light range, the spin state during the light emission process is controlled by injecting a spin-polarized carrier from the ferromagnetic negative electrode into the emission layer. 

Light emission with a circular polarization degree of about 0.5% was observed when a magnetic field intensity of 3,000Oe is applied at room temperature, Shikoh said. 

Read more at Tech-On