Lighting remains one of the least efficient forms of electricity used in the world today. As much as 20% of the world’s total electricity is used just to create light, yet most light bulbs are still highly inefficient. A typical incandescent lamp uses less that 10% of the energy it consumes to produce light. Compact fluorescent lamps perform better, but still waste 75% of the energy consumed.
Silicon-based solid state lighting, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) which convert electricity into light without the need to activate a gas (fluorescents) or heat a filament, is being developed by Applied.
Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are based on organic semiconductors and consist of stacks of organic layers (~100nm in total thickness) which are connected by electrodes. The organic layers are inserted between a cathode and an anode. Next to conventional inorganic LEDs, OLEDs are considered the second solid state lighting technology for new flat, large area efficient lighting solutions for the future.
Potential uses for solid state light technology, although not completely defined, are expected to be broad, especially where power conservation is important such as cell phones, smart phones, handheld movie devices and laptop computers. OLEDs, which can be made on a number of substrates including flexible materials, generate light up to 10 times more efficiently than conventional bulbs.
Applied Materials is participating in the lighting industry through the European OPAL 2008 (Organic Phosphorescent lights for Applications in the Lighting market 2008) Program. OPAL 2008 aims to develop an OLED production technology capable of achieving the cost target of a few € cents per cm2 for a high performance white OLED device. Members of the consortia include: Aixtron, Osram, Philips, BASF and Applied Materials.
For more information and/or sales inquiries on our lighting programs or technology, send an e-mail to inquiries_EES@amat.com.
For information on the research project "LILi - Light InLine" OLED 2 initiative, please visit the "LILi Project" site.
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