FLUENCE (Fluid-Enhanced Crystal Engineering) Process Results in 10 Times More Efficient Organic Electronics

A single-crystal organic semiconductor array that is 1mm by 20mm. The neatly-aligned blue strips are what provide greater electric charge mobility. The Stanford logo shown here is the same size as a dime.

A new printing process called FLUENCE (Fluid-Enhanced Crystal Engineering) can generate organic electronic materials that are ten times more conductive than those currently available.

Organic electronics are materials that utilize carbon-based polymers and molecules to build electronic conductors and resistors. Instead of using inorganic materials such as copper and silicon, organic electronics are produced by printing out the material on inexpensive polymeric substrates like polyethylene terephtalate (PET) or polycarbonate (PC) that are cheaper than conventional inorganic components.

Ink jet printers or coating equipment (like those used to produce photographic film) can also be used to print out electronic components one on top of another to produce smaller more compact semiconductors.

Organic electronic products are thin, lightweight, and flexible. These properties have been proven effective in the modern application of electronic devices and gadgets such as touch sensors, display screens, and in solar cells. In solar cells, solar sheeting that are thin and translucent (similar to a plastic sheet) are products of organic electronics. Display screens such as OLED (Organic LED)screens are now used widely in the smartphone and tablet market.

Nanotechnology and Plastics Develop New Type of Lighting That is Flicker-Free, Bendable and Shatterproof

Researchers using nanotechnology and materials engineering have discovered a new type of lighting material that is safer, more durable, and lasts longer. Field-Induced Polymer Electroluminescent technology (FIPEL), may replace conventional lighting in the future.

In Popular Mechanics' list of 101 Gadgets That Changed the World, the light bulb was ranked number 10. The light bulb provided constant illumination to the world and transitioned the dependence of light from the open flame to electrically produced light.

The light bulb works by passing an electric current to a filament (usually tungsten). This allows the tungsten to heat up and glow, producing light. To protect the filament from oxidizing and burning out, it is encased in a glass bulb which is filled with non-reactive gas like argon.

This lead to the development of the fluorescent lamp which although also has a filament, uses atoms to generate ultra violet light that excites the phosphor (a chemical that can emit light) coating inside the tube to light up. The filament is used to heat up the mercury atoms for it to start generating ultra-violet light which in itself is invisible to the naked eye.

New OLED Developed: Spin Polarized Organic LED (Spin OLED)

Demonstration of a conventional flexible OLED device

Light Emitting Diodes (LED) uses a standard semiconductor to generate light in different colors. Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED) uses an organic polymer or plastic semiconductors to generate light.

They produce light on their own, do not generate heat, and are thin and flexible.

OLEDs are currently used as display units in small devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras, and MP3 players. Not to be confused with LCD screens, these type of dispaly screens do not need to be backlit with LEDs or lamps.

Some commercial visual displays also use OLED screens. Most of these screens use AMOLED (Active Matrix OLED) technology as they have a higher resolution than Passive Matrix OLEDs. An AMOLED screen has a thin-film transistor that switches each individual pixel on or off giving it better control and clarity of the image. Current manufacturing costs are what hinders this type of screen of breaking into the

University of Utah physicists invent 'spintronic' LED

University of Utah physicists invented a new "spintronic" organic light-emitting diode or OLED that promises to be brighter, cheaper and more environmentally friendly than the kinds of LEDs now used in television and computer displays, lighting, traffic lights and numerous electronic devices.

"It's a completely different technology," says Z. Valy Vardeny, University of Utah distinguished professor of physics and senior author of a study of the new OLEDs in the July 13, 2012 issue of the journal Science. "These new organic LEDs can be brighter than regular organic LEDs."

The Utah physicists made a prototype of the new kind of LED – known technically as a spin-polarized organic LED or spin OLED – that produces an orange color. But Vardeny expects it will be possible within two years to use the new technology to produce red and blue as well, and he eventually expects to make white spin OLEDs.

However, it could be five years before the new LEDs hit the market because right now, they operate at temperatures no warmer than about minus 28 degrees Fahrenheit, and must be improved so they can run at room temperature, Vardeny adds.

New Development in Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) Production

OLED. The name doesn't really excite people but what it is will surely turn the world upside down in terms of viewing technology.

But imagine a television or computer screen you can roll up like a newspaper or even a light bulb as thin as a picture frame.

OLED stands for Organic Light-Emitting Diode. Not to be confused with LCD screens, OLED do not need to be backlit with LEDs or lamps.

They produce light on their own and ar thin and flexible.

These are already used in TV screens, monitors, mobile phones, and tablet computers. Some commercial visual displays also use OLED screens. Most of these screens use AMOLED (Active Matrix OLED) technology as they have a higher resolution than Passive Matrix OLEDs. An AMOLED screen has a thin-film transistor that switches each individual pixel on or off giving it better control and clarity of the image. Current manufacturing costs are what hinders this type of screen of breaking into the mainstream market.

According to Physics World, Paul Blom and Ton van Mol from the Holst Centre in Eindhoven are studying a way of creating thin and flexible OLED sheets thru a newspaper style process of printing. The process the two are looking into is to dissolve the OLED in a liquid solvent and spray it into a thin roll of flexible plastic foil. It is similar to how a newspaper in a printing press is printed, "roll to roll".

Video: OLED

With this process, OLED may jump from the display screen category to the lighting industry. OLED lamps and lightbulbs.

"Traditional LEDs have so far failed to become a viable alternative to light bulbs because, despite being highly efficient, they have to be fabricated in clean rooms and so are expensive to make. But with about 20 per cent of the electricity the world consumes going on lighting, Blom and Van Mol state that any new, more-efficient lighting technology could greatly reduce global energy consumption... OLEDs are poised to take over from the light bulb as their spray-on production makes them a faster and cheaper alternative to traditional LEDs and can be produced en mass through the "roll-to-roll" newspaper technique..."
Source: Physics World

Blom and Van Mol writes, "Many companies recognize the potential of OLEDs and are investing heavily in research and development in the hope that when this technology finally takes off, they will be in pole position to take advantage,"

Samsung unveiled the world's thinnest OLED display last October 2008. Measuring just 0.05mm, they announced that it was "thinner than paper". They also showcased a 40 inch OLED TV with full HD resolution of 1920x1080. Currently, their Samsung Galaxy S uses the latest AMOLED Display.

Not to be outdone, Sony is also releasing its OLED based products. Their PlayStation Vita handheld game console will feature a 5-inch OLED screen. LG Electronics has also announced a 55 inch prototype for 2012.

It will be just a matter of time when we see lighting products with this technology.

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