How to Make an Organic LED

By eHow Computers Editor

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Organic LEDs, or OLEDs, are a piece of cutting-edge technology that has been long in the making. OLEDs, like standard LEDs, are more efficient than other types of lighting, but OLEDs make the additional breakthrough of utilizing organic energy sources. While they aren't currently as bright or efficient as standard LEDs, OLEDs are an exciting breakthrough in lighting technology.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Step1

Utilize an organic polymer (such as protein or DNA) as the medium for the the LED light. This organic material serves as a semiconductor that weaves together the individual LED light sources.

Step2

Print the LED lights onto the organic base in much the same way that ink jet printers project ink onto paper. The LEDs are mapped onto the organic substance in rows and columns creating a matrix of individual pixels.

Step3

Sandwich the organic material between conductors to create a unified surface that can be illuminated with the LED light.

Step4

Eliminate the need for backlighting on LED displays. Because organic LEDs turn the entire surface into a light source, incorporating conductors and semiconductors, OLEDs do not require a source of backlight.

Step5

Use OLED technology to make more efficient laptop screens, TV monitors, cell phone displays and other lighted screens of all types. Look for folding OLED technology (FOLED) for OLED screens that roll up or fold up and are easily transportable.

Tips & Warnings

Organic LEDs aren't necessarily more efficient than standard LEDs for all uses. Small, single pixel organic LEDs are as efficient or more efficient than standard LEDs, but as the OLED expands and more pixels and colors are added, the display requires more energy. Don't expect the OLED to be brighter or more energy efficient than standard LEDs, but do expect the organic LED to utilize organic material to conduct energy.