Post on 31-Jul-2020
Challenges of Flexible OLED Lighting
Mark TaylorEmerging Innovations Group
January 30, 2019
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US OLED Ecosystem Provides Unique Opportunity for US Made OLED Lighting Industry
Materials OLED Processing OEMs
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Automotive lighting: key to OLED lighting cost reduction
• Cost remains a dominant factor• Limited to demonstrations and high
end lighting resulting in low volumes• Efficiency is in the same range as
LED technology (>85 lm/W)• Reliability is within the range of
commercial need (>40K hr L70)
• Automobile companies are pulling OLED lighting technology into their new designs
• Solid value proposition: Initial estimates show a >25% cost reduction for tail light assemblies
• Strong interest in flexible OLEDs
General Lighting Automobile
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OLED value prop for automobile backlight• Reduction of depth compared to LED
– Up to 70% reduction in space– Up to 50% reduction is weight– Minimize part count and simpler
integration– Simpler body metal stamping
• Results in at least a 25% cost reduction to OEM for OLED Rear Combination Light (Industry expert estimate)
• Conformable multi-segmented lighting surface
– Branding opportunity – aesthetics– Dynamic lighting to communicate status– Communication of safety critical
information– Simpler integration of all tail light functions
leading to cost reduction
LED OLED
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General lighting value proposition: healthy lighting with superior aesthetics
• Easy integration• Low weight/lumen
• New design space• Surface integration
• Naturally segmented• No diffuser
• Closer to user• Easy to integrate• No heat sink
• Warm with high efficacy
• Naturally close to sunlight without compromising efficacy
• Better for your eyes• No impact on sleep
• Better for your eyes• Comfortable lighting
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Flexible glass OLED panels
• Flexibility creates new options for luminaires
• Excellent barrier against moisture and oxygen
• Smooth substrate surface for deposition of light extraction structure and electrodes
• Inert to moisture, ultraviolet• Available in 1 m widths and several
thicknesses
• Process handling requires bonding to rigid carrier until roll-to-roll or another technology is available
• Fragility of edges during processing reduces yield
• Light extraction technologies• Packaging to protect edges
Advantages Challenges
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Bonding/debonding
Edge healing and bond/debond technologies enable reliable flexible glass OLED panels
Edge healing
Rough edges w/ scores Mirror-like edges
After edge healing
• 6x improvement in edge strength• Reliable conformable panels with smart packaging
• Enabled using existing fab for flexible glass• High yield debonding process without adhesive or laser processing
100 µm Willow™
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How can the DoE help the OLED ecosystem?
• Continued funding for the OLEDWorks process lab• Packaging development for flexible OLED lighting panels• GATEWAY sites for OLED lighting• Standards development• Advanced OLED materials• Roll-To-Roll process elements
Dimmable Lifetime
Low Price
Efficacy
CRI
OLED
Dimmable Lifetime
Low Price
Efficacy
CRI