GE claims OLED manufacturing "breakthrough"

 

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Posted on 12 Mar 2008 at 11:54

General Electric researchers have developed a new manufacturing process for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels, which it believes could be the first step in making the technology affordable.

The process allows OLED panels to be manufactured on a roll, then cut down to size and shape as needed.

The breakthrough represents four years of research and a $13 million investment by the group, but remains a mere "proof of concept" at this stage. However with further investment GE believes it could lead to OLED sheets being mass produced and delivered to production plants in rolls, just as material is delivered to clothing manufacturers.

GE says the manufacturing process could also have implications in other fields.

"Beyond OLEDs, the technology could have broader impact in the manufacturing of other organic electronic devices such as organic photovoltaics for solar energy conversion, sensors and roll-up displays," says Anil Duggal, manager of GE's Advanced Technology Program.

OLED is widely considered the successor to LCD and plasma panels, due to its ability to produce bright images using a fraction of the energy of current technologies. However, OLED panels are expensive to manufacture, which has so far limited their growth.

Sony is also looking at OLED technology and recently invested $203 million on its manufacturing infrastructure, as its seeks to take a market lead in the segment.