Brennan Coulter
Aug 15, 2012
Featured

LECs to replace OLEDs as future display technology

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are the latest craze in consumer electronics, but thats set to change with new research from Umeå University in Sweden. OLED displays are highly prized because they are thin, can be flexible, and do not require backlights unlike more traditional LCD technology. However, OLEDs are expensive to produce due to a complex manufacturing processes at extreme low temperatures, making them more pipedream than future tech. Enter LEECs, or LECs. Also known as Light-emitting Electrochemical Cells, LECs share all of the advantages of OLEDs without the high cost. Umeå University professor Ludvig Edman and PhD student Andreas Sandström report producing the first LECs using “a roll-to-roll process” under ambient conditions. “We have made a rapid technology leap in a very short time," says Sandström. "LECs can thus be produced as inexpensive, large-area, and extremely-thin light-emitting devices for displays and lighting applications," continued Edman.