Transparent OLEDs

Researchers at Stanford University have successfully developed a brand new concept of OLEDs with a few nanometer of graphene as transparent conductor. This paved the way for inexpensive mass production of OLEDs on large-area low-cost flexible plastic substrate, which could be rolled up like wallpaper and virtually applied to anywhere you want. The researchers say that Graphene has the potential to be transparent, high-performance, highly conductive and cheaper by several orders of magnitude than current ITO based solutions. Interestingly just a few weeks ago we reported that Graphene can be used to make organic lighting devices, too.

Graphene OLED

Traditionally, indium tin oxide (ITO) is used in OLEDs, but indium is rare, expensive and difficult to recycle. Scientists have been actively searching for an alternative candidate.

The next generation of optoelectronic devices requires transparent conductive electrodes to be lightweight, flexible, cheap, environmental attractive, and compatible with large-scale manufacturing methods. Graphene (a single layer of graphite) is becoming a very promising candidate due to its unique electrical and optical properties. Very recently, Junbo Wu et al., researchers at Stanford University, successfully demonstrated the application of graphene in OLEDs for the first time.

Samsung are showing a new transparent AMOLED called "Digital Window" at CeBIT:

We don't have any information on this yet. It seems to be about the same size as the 14" transparent OLED laptop they had at CES. We know that Samsung are seriously into transparent AMOLEDs so it's always good to see more such displays...

Researchers from Sweden and the US have produced a new transparent lighting component that is made from Graphene. They say it is cheap to make and fully recyclable, and might be an alternative to OLED Lighting. The new device is called an Organic Light-emitting Electrochemical Cell, or LEC. The Graphene is used for an electrode. LECs can be made using a roll-to-roll process, because all of its parts can be made from liquid solutions.

There's very little info on that new device (such as what is the actual light-emitting material, what's the efficiency of it, etc.).

Via Graphene-Info

Remember Samsung 14" transparent OLED laptop? PlusPlasticElectronics says that Samsung actually plans to release this laptop as a real product within 12 months. They also reveal that the IceTouch MP3 player will sell for around $330 and will be released in the US in the first half of 2010.

Samsung 14-inch transparent OLED laptop

Samsung wants to dominate the transparent display market, and plans to introduce a range of new products with such displays within the next year. They will even consider products not normally produced at Samsung - such as a transparent automobile navigation system that can be placed on a windscreen. Now how about a transparent OLED TV?

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.

Samsung are showing a laptop that uses a 14" transparent OLED display:

The OLED is up to 40% transparent. I'm not sure if it's useful, but it sure is amazing. In any case, Samsung did not mention any plans to make this into a real product... Here's a short video:

Via Engadget

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.