OLED: Organic Light Emitting Diode
OLED displays are self-illuminating due to their organic material, so there's no need for a backlight to achieve maximum visibility in all environments. This also allows OLEDs to be significantly thinner than standard LCD modules with backlight.
OLEDs are also brighter, higher contrast displays with faster response times, wider viewing angles, and lower power consumption than conventional LCDs or VFDs. Our OLED displays come as complete, easy-to-use modules in both character and graphic display types.
Understanding the OLED Structure
OLED displays are self-illuminating due to their organic material, so there’s no need for a backlight to achieve maximum visibility in all environments.
OLEDs are made up of a layer of organic material placed between two conductors. These two conductors (an anode and a cathode) are between a glass top plate (seal) and a glass bottom plate (substrate). When an electric current is applied to the two conductors, the organic material produces a bright, electro-luminescent light. When energy passes from the negatively charged layer (cathode) to the other layer (anode), it stimulates the organic material between the two, which in turn emits light that is visible through the outermost layer of glass. |
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1. Electrical current flows from the Cathode to the Anode through the organic layers, giving electrons to the emissive layer and removing electrons from the conductive layer. | 2. Removing electrons from the conductive layer leaves holes that need to be filled with electrons in the emissive layer. | 3. The holes jump to the emissive layer and recombine with the electrons. As the electrons drop into the holes, they release their extra energy as light. |
The OLED Pixel
The pixels are created by the arrangement of the cathodes and anodes; which are arranged perpendicular to each other. The electric current applied to the selected strips of anodes and cathodes determine which pixels get turned on and which pixels remain off. The brightness of each pixel is proportional to the amount of applied current.