Ignacy Giżyński
LG Display has announced a breakthrough in OLED technology by presenting the world's first panel using blue phosphorescent material PHOLED. This has achieved full phosphorescence for all three primary colors: red, green, and blue, significantly increasing the energy efficiency of OLED displays.
OLEDs Finally Without Weak Links!
The blue pixel – small but stubborn. For years, it has been the Achilles' heel of OLED screens. While red and green long ago transitioned to more efficient phosphorescence, blue was still stuck in technological past, consuming energy and shortening screen lifespan. But LG says: enough of that.
The Korean giant announced that it has created the world's first working blue PHOLED – a pixel that finally combines the power of phosphorescence with durability. What does this mean? Less power, brighter colors, and screens that will last more than just a few seasons of Netflix. This is not a small step for pixels – it’s a giant leap for the entire OLED market.
When will we see this technology in devices?
LG does not intend to hide this innovation in a drawer – the first panels with blue PHOLED will be presented on May 11 at SID Display Week 2025 in San Jose. To start, the technology will be available in smartphones, tablets, and laptops – where every percentage of battery saved makes a difference. But this is just the beginning.
Ultimately, PHOLED is also intended for large displays, such as televisions. The problem with blue pixels was that they wore out faster, causing the image quality to degrade over time. By using phosphorescence instead of fluorescence, the new panels can simply be more durable and stable over time.
Collaboration with Universal Display Corporation
This whole commotion is driven by a duo: LG Display and Universal Display Corporation. If UDC means nothing to you – it's them who have been tinkering with phosphorescent materials for OLEDs for years. Back in 2022, they mentioned that they had a stable blue material... but as often happens with “we have it!” in the tech world, quite some time passed from theory to actual implementation.
However, it now seems that they have finalized the topic. LG took this material and built a working panel from it, combining phosphorescence with a fluorescent layer in a so-called tandem configuration. The result? A blue pixel that is finally not a one-time use.
