Term of the Moment
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Definition: OLED
(Organic LED) A display technology that offers rich colors, high contrast, deep blacks, wide viewing angle, low power and fast response time for action scenes, OLED is often praised as the best picture quality. Although OLED was created by Kodak in 1987, and small displays were commercialized, it took 20 more years before Sony put the first OLED TV on the market (see image below).
Instead of silicon or gallium, which LEDs are made of, OLEDs use "organic" carbon emitting layers. OLED screens are found in TVs, smartphones, tablets, watches and VR/AR headsets. Increasingly, monitors are OLED, but screen burn-in can be a problem when the same toolbars and logos remain on screen for months on end. For a deep look into this amazing technology, see OLED layers. See LED, PHOLED and QD-OLED.
Emitters for Phones - Backlights for TVs
OLED smartphone screens have individual red, green and blue emitters. However, it is extremely difficult to manufacture color emitters for large screens, which is why OLED TVs combine blue and yellow OLEDs to create a white backlight, and colors are created with color filters just like LCD/LED TVs.
Don't Blue and Yellow Make Green?
True, but only for mixing paint. Yellow is a mix of red and green and combined with blue make red, green and blue, the primary colors of white light. See RGB.
TOLEDs and FOLEDs
Transparent OLEDs (TOLEDs) function in heads-up displays and even as window shades. Flexible OLEDs (FOLEDs) can be folded, and OLEDs are also used for general-purpose ceiling and light fixtures (see OLED lighting). OLED's thinness, transparency and flexibility make it a versatile display technology for the 21st century. See LCD vs. OLED, TOLED, FOLED and WOLED.
From 11 to 77 Inches in Seven Years
Emitters for Phones - Backlights for TVs
OLED smartphone screens have individual red, green and blue emitters. However, it is extremely difficult to manufacture color emitters for large screens, which is why OLED TVs combine blue and yellow OLEDs to create a white backlight, and colors are created with color filters just like LCD/LED TVs.
Don't Blue and Yellow Make Green?
True, but only for mixing paint. Yellow is a mix of red and green and combined with blue make red, green and blue, the primary colors of white light. See RGB.
TOLEDs and FOLEDs
Transparent OLEDs (TOLEDs) function in heads-up displays and even as window shades. Flexible OLEDs (FOLEDs) can be folded, and OLEDs are also used for general-purpose ceiling and light fixtures (see OLED lighting). OLED's thinness, transparency and flexibility make it a versatile display technology for the 21st century. See LCD vs. OLED, TOLED, FOLED and WOLED.
In 2007, Sony's XEL-1 11" OLED TV (top) was the first commercial OLED TV. To emphasize how thin the screen was, it was separated from the TV tuner. The intense colors captivated audiences but not its $2499 price tag. Seven years later, LG unveiled a 77" 4K OLED (bottom), and by 2020, a 65" OLED cost less than the 11" model. (Top image courtesy of Sony Corporation.)