British Thorn Lighting: OLED will become the preferred lighting source

Tara Lighting's Thorn Lighting Company is leading a research and development project aimed at developing new OLED materials and equipment to provide large-area lighting applications to replace fluorescent lamps. “We expect to develop a high-quality light source like sunlight,” said Dr. Geoff Williams, project leader.

The OLED panel is one of two technologies that are expected to replace ordinary fluorescent lamps and other bulbs, and the other is an electroluminescent lamp that uses AC power.

The participants of the project are Durham University and Cambridge Display Technology (CDT). They received GBP 1.6 million in funding from the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the United Kingdom. The total start-up capital is up to 3.3 million pounds.

“This university is the center of analysis of polymer energy levels,” said Williams. “We will be able to examine the reconstruction process to get feedback that helps develop.”

According to the agreement, CDT will provide OLED polymer materials, equipment formation and testing, and be responsible for modeling and other technical support.

"The light-emitting polymer material will be a process solution that will provide potential low-cost processing for large panels," CDT said.

The project will initially be away from plastic materials because they are not waterproof. "The initial product will use a solid matrix. The barrier layer (on the plastic substrate) has not yet reached the level of oxygen and moisture barrier." Williams, he did not explain the type of solid matrix in detail.

Performance indicators including color rendering will exceed existing fluorescent lamps. "Peaks and faults will appear in the spectrum, but the fault will not be very much," said Williams.

Another goal is that after three years of development, 1,000 cd/m2 of light will be produced and the brightness will be reduced to 50% after 20,000 hours, Williams said. He added: "According to my experience, brightness may be 80%."

The electrical efficiency will be similar to fluorescent lamps. "The goal in five years is to reach 50 lumens per watt," said Williams. "The ultimate goal is 150-200 lm/W. We will reach this level in 2015-2016. By 2020, OLED will become the lighting source of choice."