LG Display Unveils Blue Phosphorescent OLED Prototypes for Smartphones

Key Takeaways

1. LG Display has developed OLED panels with phosphorescent blue pixels that are stable and consume less power.
2. Current blue pixel technology is less effective, requiring larger pixels and having a shorter lifespan compared to red and green pixels.
3. The new design uses a hybrid approach, combining a fluorescent layer with a phosphorescent layer to reduce power usage by 15%.
4. This innovation could extend smartphone battery life without increasing battery size, despite some longevity trade-offs.
5. LG plans to present this technology at Display Week 2025, scheduled for May 11 to 16 in San Jose.

LG Display has shown it can produce OLED panels featuring phosphorescent blue pixels on standard manufacturing equipment that are just as stable as the OLED panels we commonly use today, all while consuming less power. This breakthrough could allow smartphone manufacturers to extend usage times without needing to enlarge battery sizes.

Blue Pixel Challenges

At present, blue pixel technology is not very effective. It requires a bigger pixel to emit the same light as smaller red and green pixels. Additionally, blue pixels have a shorter lifespan compared to their red and green counterparts. The larger size of the blue pixel can also lead to strange text artifacts that can be seen even with clever pixel arrangements.

A New Approach

Switching to phosphorescent blue instead of the traditional fluorescent blue in current OLED displays can lower power usage by about 25% while enhancing light output, though it does compromise longevity. LG has cleverly merged a longer-lasting fluorescent layer, which has a low emissive efficiency at 25%, with a brighter phosphorescent layer that achieves a high emissive efficiency of 100%. This results in a hybrid OLED panel that consumes 15% less power.

Future Prospects

Even if the power savings aren’t as significant as those of a panel made solely with phosphorescent materials, this hybrid tandem OLED panel could still provide extra hours of battery life for smartphones without needing to expand battery size. LG intends to showcase this new technology at Display Week 2025, set to take place from May 11 to 16 in San Jose.

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