The light emitting capabilities of OLED displays make possible such features as high contrast, wide viewing angles, and fast response times. In addition, the display can be made very thin and lightweight, making this new device a promising candidate for next-generation flat panel displays. However, in order to make the device viable for practical applications, it was critical to find a solution to a number of technical problems, including how to give the device a longer life.
The General Manager of OLED Development Center from Epson Mr. Satoru Miyashita explained that Epson’s OLED displays were manufactured at the company’s G2 R&D fab. Miyashita said that there are plans to expand OLED production capability by adding a line in the company’s G3 fab located in Tottori. By using a larger G3 fabrication plant, Epson can produce up to 14? OLEDs.
As high-quality image representation lies at the heart of OLED displays, above and beyond what is possible with conventional flat panel displays, Epson determined that this was precisely the feature the company should pursue. To realize the requisite high-quality representation of textures, Epson has been uncompromising in its efforts to achieve “the ultimate black”, since it is black that holds the key to overall image quality. Furthermore, the problem of early stage brightness deterioration, until now a major obstacle to extending the life of the device, was solved by improving the light-emitting materials and through the development of Epson’s own original element structure. As a result, Epson was successful in lengthening the life of the device to more than 50,000 hours*1, a level appropriate for practical application. Future plans call for Epson to develop various displays with OLED systems for different uses, and study their potential for commercialization.
