50-inch DuPont OLED display printed in under two minutes

DuPont have made good on their promise of super-fast printed OLED displays, announcing that they have created a 50-inch OLED panel in under two minutes.  The system – which began development back in May 2008 – uses a special Dainippon printer and DuPont's third-generation OLED inks, and promises not only larger panels than we've seen to date, but cheaper ones too.

OLED displays are increasingly common in mobile devices – the Google Nexus One and HTC Desire both use OLED to good effect – and are prized for their clarity, color saturation and lower power consumption than regular LCD.  However, manufacturing larger-scale OLED panels, such as might be required for an HDTV, has been prohibitively expensive.

DuPont reckon that not only are their new, printed OLED panels quicker and cheaper, they also have lengthy life-spans too: up to 15 years if switched on for eight hours a day, in fact.  No word on when we can expect commercial availability of products using the new DuPont OLED screens.

[via OLED-Display.net and via Technology-Review]

Press Release:

DuPont Delivers OLED Technology Scalable for Television

Cost-Effective Solution Printing Process and Materials Deliver Record Lifetime Performance

DuPont announced that it has achieved record performance in printed organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, sufficient to enable future adoption of OLED television (TV). Using proprietary DuPont Gen 3 solution OLED materials, DuPont has for the first time demonstrated a solution-based manufacturing process in which OLEDs can be cost effectively printed while delivering the necessary performance and lifetime.

OLEDs are an inherently more sustainable display technology when compared with liquid crystal displays (LCDs). OLEDs have the potential for lower power consumption and eliminate the need for many of the LCD components, such as backlights and color filters. OLEDs also can offer consumers an improved viewing experience through higher contrast ratios and faster response times.

"OLED displays are in portable devices available in the market today, but the current high-cost of manufacturing with evaporated materials has limited market adoption, and constrained OLED manufacturing for larger size displays," said David B. Miller, president – DuPont Electronics & Communications. "Now, with DuPont printed OLED materials and process technology, fabrication costs can be significantly reduced, and manufacturing can be scaled to accommodate TV-size displays."

DuPont previously announced the development of solution-based OLED materials with record-setting lifetime performance. With the new results, DuPont has now translated its advances in materials science to a scalable manufacturing process where an OLED television operating eight hours per day would last over 15 years.[1]

To report these results, DuPont made printed test devices which can be operated at elevated luminance for an accelerated lifetime test. Printed devices using the DuPont process have reliably achieved lifetimes to 50 percent of initial luminance of 29,000 hours for red, 110,000 hours for green and 34,000 hours for blue at typical television brightness levels. [2]

DuPont is a world leader in the development of a broad range of innovative and more sustainable solutions that improve flat panel display performance, reduce costs and enable next generation breakthroughs across a broad range of display technologies, including printed OLED technology. For further information on display technologies from DuPont, please visit http://displays.dupont.com.

DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in approximately 80 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.

[1] Assuming typical 30 percent duty cycle, running video.

[2] Lifetime is T50 adjusted display lifetime (based on accelerated lifetime testing), at 100 percent duty cycle, at the individual sub-pixel luminances required for 200 nits front-of-screen brightness, at 40 percent aperture ratio, 46 percent transmission circular polarizer, white color (0.31, 0.33); the data are reported at 20 degrees C. The printed red device has a demonstrated current efficiency of 15 cd/A with color coordinates of (0.65, 0.35); green devices a current efficiency of 22 cd/A and color coordinates of (0.26, 0.64); and blue devices a current efficiency of 6 cd/A and color coordinates of (0.14, 0.14).