Revolution in OLED? New discovery by scientists: Brighter screens and cheaper to operate
A British-Dutch research team has announced a breakthrough that could extend battery life in smartphones and make OLED TVs shine up to 2x brighter with lower energy consumption. According to reports from hdtvtest.co.uk and flatpanelshd.com, the key lies in so-called “chiral semiconductors” – materials inspired by… human DNA.
Today's OLED Problem: Half the Light Goes to Waste
Modern OLED screens (e.g. in Samsung or LG televisions) use polarising layers that block unwanted light to achieve such ideal contrast. Unfortunately, these same filters absorb over 50% of the energy generated by the diodes. – It's like covering half a light bulb to prevent it from being too bright.
Chiral Semiconductors: Light That "Twists" Like a Screwdriver
The solution turned out to be chiral semiconductors – materials in which light moves in a spiral (either left or right). As a result, they do not require traditional polarising layers.
DNA, screws and… Lego bricks
The inspiration was nature, including the double helix of DNA. Scientists from Cambridge University and TU Eindhoven created synthetic molecules that assemble themselves into spiral structures. – It's like building with perfectly shaped Lego bricks – compares Prof. Richard Friend.
How does the new technology work?
The key material turned out to be TAT (triazatruxene). Its molecules form "screws" along which electrons move without energy loss.
Tests show: Less power, more light
– In prototype chiral diodes, almost all the light reaches the screen instead of being absorbed – explains Prof. Bert Meijer from TU Eindhoven. This means:
Higher brightness – even at lower power consumption,
Longer battery life in smartwatches or mobile phones.
Not just TVs: Quantum computers will benefit too
Chiral semiconductors may accelerate development:
Spintronics – a field where data is stored in the "spin" of electrons (already being tested by companies like IBM),
Next-generation fibre optics – faster and safer.
Although we will have to wait for the effects, this discovery is a major step for OLED technology. Thanks to it, our favourite series may soon look lifelike – and electricity bills... will decrease.
Source: tue.nl, flatpanelshd.com, hdtvtest.co.uk
