Date: 20/01/2012

Holst Centre and imec to co-research on flexible OLED displays

Holst Centre and imec have launched a new research program to develop an economically scalable route to high-volume manufacturing of flexible active-matrix OLED displays. The shared program to tackle challenges such as high resolution, low power consumption, large area, outdoor readability, flexibility and light weight.

Imec explains today's latest OLED displays are small and mobile and used in applications such as smart phones and tablet PCs. OLEDs can produce higher contrast picture compared to conventional LCD displays due to the fact that OLED pixels emit only when activated, achieving a more intense black. OLEDs are also better with faster response time, eliminating image lag. OLEDs need less components compared to LCDs.

Imec intend to research on making mechanically flexible encapsulation film and TFT backplane, printed high-efficiency OLEDs, new materials and processes that allow for cheaper production. The program scope includes the development of new manufacturing equipment such as fine patterning equipment for backplanes and tools for integrated roll-to-roll manufacturing.

Gerwin Gelinck (Holst Centre), Program Manager of the OLED Display Program says "
Holst Centre and its partners continuously look for new application domains for the generic flexible electronic technologies that have been developed. This ensures our research stays tangible, application-oriented and relevant for industry and society. Flexible displays represent an enormous economic and technical opportunity for flat panel manufacturers and its supply chain. As such they are seen as an attractive landing place for many new technologies. Flexible displays are therefore becoming a top priority research effort for many companies worldwide, including many of our current industrial partners."

Paul Heremans (imec), Program Manager of the OLED Display Program says "With this program in mind, we already have been working more and more towards integrating separate building blocks and have realized OLED displays using both organic and metal oxide TFT backplanes. Thin, plastic substrates were used, and the displays were fully encapsulated using our state-of-the-art barrier technology. Part of this was done with other research institutes in a European project called FLAME, but we could really pull this off because of intense collaboration with some of our industrial partners. We will demonstrate some of these display prototypes in 2012."