OLED technology simply explained: This is how organic light-emitting diodes work

Recently, technology has made a big leap with OLED technology. These screens deliver brilliant color quality and perfect black levels. In this practical tip, we show you what OLED is and what the advantages are.

OLED technology: it does it differently

OLED is the abbreviation for "ORGANIC LIGHT E MITTING DIODE", that is, operating technology with organic light emitting diodes. This technology has been used in smaller displays, such as smartphones or tablets, for several years. The use in TV screens, such as LG's Smart TV, was repeatedly postponed until 2016.

• The OLEDs only produce light and color themselves. If they are black, the diodes simply stay out.
• An OLED consists of four organic semiconductor layers between two electrodes, at least one of which must be transparent.
• A hole line layer (HTL) is applied to the anode during manufacture. There is a layer of PEDOT / PSS between the two components, which prevents the penetration of indium (chemical element).
• Next, the dye, the so-called recombination layer (EL layer), is applied. Finally, there is the electron conduction layer (ETL).
• Despite the many layers, the whole thing only reaches a thickness of 100 to 200 nanometers and lies between two glass panes.
• Direct current now ensures that the organic layers ultimately glow and thus can display an image.

AMOLED Display: The basic advantages

The OLED technology is now coming more and more into the light, at the beginning the technology threatened to remain an eternal prototype. But over time, OLEDs got more and more attention, which is probably due to their breathtaking picture quality. Here we have listed all the basic advantages for you:

• Compared to competing technologies, much narrower and lighter.
• Uniform illumination from all perspectives.
• Very fast reaction speeds, breathtaking colors and a great contrast.
• Due to the lack of backlighting, the devices are also extremely energy efficient.
• They also consist of organic components and therefore contain fewer pollutants than their competitors.