The laser diode specialists

News Release from: OLED-T
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 16 January 2007

Project to marry optical films with OLED materials

OLED-T and Microsharp have announced a two year DTI funded project to develop a concept product that combines optical films with OLED materials for backlighting.

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OLED-T and Microsharp have announced a two year DTI funded project to develop a concept product that combines optical films with OLED materials for backlighting. The total grant for the venture is GBP 225,000. The aim of the project is to develop a high efficiency white-light, thin, flexible, on-plastic OLED solid state lighting system that will initially be geared towards the flat panel display market, in particular micro and flexible displays.

Welcoming the new partnership, Science and Innovation Minister, Malcolm Wicks said: 'The UK has a proud history of innovation in science and technology'.

'We believe that we must work with industry to develop the marketable products and services of tomorrow, so that we can maintain our position as a leading global economy'.

'That's why we're supporting this innovative lighting project, which provides a great opportunity to harness the UK's world class expertise and use it to boost our economy and our quality of life'.

'This partnership should help establish British industry as the world leader in this area and be an attractive proposition for investors'.

The backlight unit market is estimated by Display Search to have a global value that exceeds US $8 billion per annum.

OLED-T and Microsharp will be looking to develop prototypes that take advantage of the increasing trend towards better performing and thinner units that offer lower operating costs.

For the purposes of the project OLED-T will be developing new white OLED materials.

'This highly innovative project will see both companies developing and integrating a number of leading edge processes'.

'If we achieve the efficiency benefits that we are aiming for, then our backlights will offer the potential to reduce system power consumption, which in turn will lower operating costs and provide significant battery lifetime benefits', said Dr Nicholas Walker, CEO, Microsharp.

'The commercial benefits of this project, the first of its kind, are immediately obvious and there is certainly a market for the materials that we are looking to develop'.

'We are working closely with several backlight unit suppliers in the Far East and as such we are well placed to leverage the commercial benefits that will arise from our partnership with Microsharp'.

'We are looking forward to working on this project and are extremely positive about its possibilities', said Myrddin Jones, Chief Executive, OLED-T.

The project has been part funded through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Electronics and Photonics Collaborative R and D Competition of the Technology Programme.

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