OLED, which stands for Organic Light Emitting Diodes, is a flat light emitting technology, made by placing a series of organic thin films between two conductors.
OLED displays are not just thin and efficient -- they provide the best image quality and can also be transparent, flexibile, foldable, and even rollable and stretchable in the future.
OLEDs are made from carbon and hydrogen, and do not contain any bad metals. They are very efficient and are also considered a "green technology".
How Does an OLED Work?
An OLED panel can produce its own light because of the diodes it contains. These diodes are made of six different layers (Seal, Cathode, Emissive, Conductive, Anode, and Substrate).
When an electrical current is passed through the diodes, the organic layers produce light that passes through a color refiner that then produces the image on the display.
Where are OLEDs Found?
OLEDs are typically found in a wide variety of both consumer products and commercial applications.
The consumer products include:
- Mobile phones
- Digital cameras
- Tablets
- Laptops
The commercial applications include:
- Medical devices
- Aircraft cabins
- Simulators
- Trains and subways
- Media and broadcast devices
Medical devices, such as defibrillators, require bright displays with low power consumption, which makes an OLED display an ideal solution.
Additionally, retailers can benefit from installing OLED signage in their stores, due to the low power it requires to display an image.
OLED Image Quality
OLED displays are known for having a much more improved image quality than LEDs. In fact, 4k OLED displays have a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1.
Types of OLEDs Available:
Features of OLED Displays
- Thin and lightweight
- Low power consumption
- High image quality
- High definition and high resolution
- Fast video response
OLED vs LCD
Pros:
- Thin and lightweight
- Low power consumption
- High image quality
- High definition and high resolution
- Fast video response
Cons:
- Costs more to produce than it does to produce an LCD
- Limited lifetime
- Problematic in direct sunlight
- Easily damaged by water
OLED displays from JOLED and Winstar are available through Edge.