On October 23, 2019, Dr. Dennis Slafer delivered an invited talk at a Department of Energy-sponsored workshop in Rochester, NY. He presented the latest developments by MicroContinuum and its partners at Iowa State University, led by Prof. Ruth Shinar, in producing low-cost films for organic LED (OLED) lighting. These films incorporate a novel, near-invisible pattern of metal lines that results in a highly transparent yet very electrically conductive film (less than 1% of the film’s surface is taken up by the lines)—a technology that can also provide benefits to displays, touchscreens, and other consumer devices.
In addition to the conductive layer, nano- and micro-scale structures molded into the OLED films help to overcome a long-standing problem in these structures—namely, the large amount of light that is within the device, significantly increasing light output and efficiency.
Present at the meeting were a number of companies also working to develop, improve and commercialize OLED lighting. The success of this effort will provide a new paradigm in lighting: a thin, flexible, lightweight, and visually pleasing light source that can cover very large areas.
Photo source: wired.com