OLED displays will play an important role in the future

Ultra-lightweight, ultra-thin, flexible panels with vibrant color displays are the promise of the newest display technology. The Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) is a technology that will significantly influence how display interfaces are used in the future. However, before you run out and purchase the first OLED smartphone, let's take a closer look at what OLED is and what it implies for the devices that use it as well as the people who use them.

How OLED Works?

There are many in-depth explanations of how OLEDs function online, but in essence, researchers are improving upon LCD and LED technologies, which are currently used in most displays, to create a model that is more adaptable, consumes less energy, and portends a more varied next generation of gadgets.

OLEDs share some similarities with LCDs in that they both use energy to produce light that is then filtered by molecules. OLEDs vary in that they produce light by electrons moving through a "solid state" material, as opposed to being lighted by light waves.Solid state refers to the way an electrical charge interacts with conductive materials. The most fundamental component of an atom in an OLED, however, is the electron.

In essence, a layer of material known as a cathode "injects" electrons into the organic layers, where they "fill holes" and interact with the materials in ways that produce light as a result. The electrons are then once more received by a layer known as an anode on the opposing side.

For those who have never really studied solid state, LCDs, or LEDs, one way to think about this is that power doesn't flow horizontally across a display interface; instead, it flows through it from top to bottom over a very short distance, which results in light bursts in the display pixels.

Innovation

The potential flexibility of OLED technology is what's really inspiring tech nerds to imagine the rollable, bendable, and 3-D devices of the future. With OLED, it is feasible to twist these material components in three dimensions, which was not conceivable with older technologies. Engineers are now developing methods to embed a display onto a thin, flexible film, possibly even something that can be worn on the skin. Repair professionals are considering how much simpler mobile phone and tablet repairs may be with a flexible display. In general, we're preparing for a screen that is less sensitive, delicate, or old-fashioned than the current versions.

When you take a step back and think about it, you'll realize how far we've come from the color TVs and early computer monitors of the 1980s, with newer, brighter, and more colorful displays appearing in each new decade. But OLED technology has the power to shatter all of our preconceived notions about a screen being "central" the way a TV or movie screen has always been. Screens are more likely to become portable, wearable, and even disposable with OLED technology.

Energy

OLEDs are appealing for a variety of new hardware projects due to their low energy consumption and high possibilities for device design innovation. Take the Internet of Things, for instance, where manufacturers are exploring new strategies to connect appliances and a variety of other consumer goods to the Internet. That most likely means that your refrigerator, toaster, or hairdryer requires a screen or another form of human interaction.