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News Release from: Frost and Sullivan
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 19 April 2004
Light-emitting polymers set to take over
from LCDs
The imminent commercial success of conductive light-emitting polymers is likely to popularise their deployment in complex electronic devices, says a new report.
The imminent commercial success of conductive light-emitting polymers (LEPs) is likely to popularise their deployment in complex electronic devices LEPs emit light when sandwiched between oppositely charged electrodes
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 28 Jul 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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This configuration is expected to be highly successful in polymeric light-emitting diode (pLED) displays, predicted as the future replacement for liquid crystal displays (LCDs).
New analysis from Technical Insights states: "LEP's lightness is ideal for creating wafer-thin film displays with significant advantages over LCDs such as glare-free viewing, enhanced clarity, and faster image-refresh rates.
Wider viewing angles, likely to benefit mobile phones and other battery-powered devices, give LEPs an edge over LCDs".
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LEP displays also come attached with numerous attractive features.
For instance, they can achieve high brightness at low drive voltages and current densities, which results in lower power consumption compared with LCDs, spurring usage in laptop computers.
In addition, light generated from an LEP display provides high-end readability and resolution compared with LCDs.
They also maintain fast response and display timings at extreme low temperatures unlike LCDs, which cease to function at freezing temperatures without supplemental heat.
LEPs eliminate the complexities involved in LCDs that require thin film processing on two glass plates.
Conversely, LEPs function on a single sheet of glass or plastic facilitating high information content displays, simultaneously simplifying processing and maintaining costs.
Also, flexible plastic substrates open up exciting opportunities for unconventional displays of nonplanar shapes.
New types of displays can also be made using LEPs by controlling their flexibility and transparency.
For instance, on windscreens and helmets, direct-view and heads-up displays containing LEPs may eliminate the need to reflect imagery onto a viewing glass.
Large-area devices in which polymers would be an alternative to amorphous silicon could be an important opportunity for LEP displays.
Deployment of LEPs in clock radios, appliance and instrument readouts, wallpaper, automotive dashboard displays and aircraft cockpit displays is likely to catalyse market growth and potential.
LEPs are also likely to witness growth opportunities in organic light emitting diodes which use organic material to generate light instead of complex crystalline structures.
This technology uses repeatable, continuous, high-speed manufacturing processing techniques such as spin coating and inkjet printing for easier and less-expensive display fabrication.
Efficient control over structural order in LEPs is required to have an edge over traditional LCDs.
In this regard, polymers that have different band gaps may prove to be a key factor in outplaying competing technologies.
Emission of red, green, or blue light is possible with varying bands, making full-colour displays with conductive LEPs commercially viable.
Apart from varying bandgaps, polymer-based LEDs also face the challenge of increasing operating lifetimes to at least 20kh to popularise commercial usage.
When the luminance intensity of the device decreases to 70% of the original value, it is considered the actual end of life, as opposed to 50% referenced for display applications.
"Significant research has been underway to improve material lifetimes both through the use of materials that are resistant to oxidation and through improved encapsulation.
Conjugated polymer material and polypyrrole are already demonstrating the stability required for commercial applications, proving the potential for growth and wider acceptance in the future", Technical Insights' analysis concludes.
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