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Tunable Stack Architecture for Photonic Crystal OLEDs | UVM Innovations | University of Vermont

Tunable Stack Architecture for Photonic Crystal OLEDs

UVM Reference Number: C820

Summary:

These OLED vertical stacks are low cost, durable and applications in flexible displays, light panels and spectroscopy sensors

Background:

Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology brings the promise of sharper displays at lower cost. This sharpness arises from the fact that conventional LEDs leak a little light when displaying black, degrading the contrast ratio of bright-to dark. OLEDs display pure black, with no leaks, leading to an infinite contrast ratio. In addition, OLEDs offer many advantages over LEDs including lower cost, lighter weight, and flexibility. Experts predict the overall OLED market will reach $72 billion by 2026 after experiencing a compound annual growth rate of 14%,

Technology Overview:

UVM has developed a novel tunable stack architecture for photonic crystal OLEDs. By varying the thickness and composition of each layer in the stack, the resulting OLED has a high degree of control over the output spectrum, facilitating emissions from specific narrowband peaks up to broadband white light. The proposed photonic crystal architecture represents an evolutionary step forward in the design and manufacturing of tunable OLED devices. Proof of concept (POC) devices built with this architecture have demonstrated that the benefits of the architecture will apply across all formulations and is compatible with any materials used to manufacture OLEDs, making it easy and economical to implement in existing manufacturing facilities. In addition, this low-cost approach can replace multiple devices with one tunable stack device, for display, lighting, and spectroscopic applications.

This technology is a low-cost, long-life OLED vertical stack architecture that is tunable with a high degree of control across the entire white light spectrum and is compatible with current manufacturing methods. It also offers multiple emission of the narrowband peaks applicable to different spectroscopy techniques, spanning infrared to ultraviolet wavelengths.

Further Details:

Allemeier, D., Isenhart, B., Dahal, E. et al. Emergence and control of photonic band structure in stacked OLED microcavities. Nat Commun 12, 6111 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26440-3

Benefits:

Low-cost – Requires fewer rare earth minerals and a single multi-function device may be able to replace multiple devices in current designs
Highly Tunable – The architecture provides broadband and narrowband control of the spectrum, supporting applications from flexible displays to spectroscopy
Compatibility – The architecture does not depend on the manufacturing material, and thus
Longevity – The architecture enables the use of green emitters (which last up to 10 times longer than blue emitters currently in use) to produce white light.