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Let there be light

Organic LEDs use fluorescence to pump up efficiency.

The traditional light bulb's days could be numbered, according to scientists who have taken an important step towards making white organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) commercially viable.

Read the story here.

Posted by Nicola Jones on April 12, 2006 05:47 PM |

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A question: What are the phosphors they are using? Y, Eu, and so on as in metal halide bulbs and cathode ray tubes?

Posted by: Tim Worstall | April 13, 2006 08:23 AM

The phosphors, referred to as PHOLEDs (PHOLED is a copyrighted trademark of Universal Display Corp), are generally electro-phosphorescent organometallic compounds based on (quoting from one recent patent application) "platinum, iridium or osmium complexes and may be still further selected from the group of phosphorescent cyclometallated platinum, iridium or osmium complexes".
This link provides a layman's overview of their general properties and uses: http://www.universaldisplay.com/pholed.htm

Posted by: Jon Kasso | April 13, 2006 01:36 PM

how long do the scientists feel it is before this tchnology will become a every day iteam?

[Editor's note: this question is answered in the story linked to from our blog entry. Have a read!]

Posted by: niall prosser | April 13, 2006 07:10 PM

Potentially the breakthrough of the century, this is pulling at the energy consumption end, very promising, Harm ten Napel

Posted by: Harm ten Napel | April 15, 2006 04:54 PM

I want to make my basement ceiling out of these lights, or put them into a growing room for seedlings!

Posted by: Linda Davis | April 15, 2006 06:28 PM

Excellent information, thank you.
However, something of a pity as I supply as a business the rare earths (especially scandium) used in the other technologies. Was wondering whether this would be a new application: unfortunately not.

Ah well.....

If the technology takes off seriously it’s going to put a large strain on the supply of Ir and Os though.

Posted by: Tim Worstall | April 16, 2006 08:55 AM

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