Researchers Found New Way To Make Screens Brighter And More Efficient

With the pace that technology is developing, it is no surprise that TVs and smartphones, the two foremost consumer techs are becoming better and better every year. So there’s no surprise that researchers have discovered another way of making screens brighter, providing more contrast, and more energy-efficient.

The Problem of OLED

Although the tech is still relatively new to the consumer market and mostly available to the high-end market, OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diodes) screens have been known by the wider public for quite some time now. They provide better color accuracy, are the more vibrant, brighter, and more energy-efficient than traditional Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).

However, to ensure that the images would remain clear and beautiful even when the ambient lighting is bright, OLED screens are usually plastered with a layer of the anti-glare filter. This is especially applicable to smartphones when you usually have to use it outdoor and under the sun.

But, according to researchers at the Imperial College London, claims that by applying the filter to the screen, half of the light generated by OLED pixels are trapped behind the filter, effectively cutting the energy efficiency of the screen panel down by half.

In order to make the screens usable, manufacturers have to sacrifice energy efficiency with usability, instead.

Polarised Light Is the Answer

Researchers have successfully created a type of OLED panel that can overcome this challenge. The positive result of the research was published in the scientific journal ACS Nano. Basically, by controlling the chemical mechanisms behind the organic materials within the OLED screen, it is possible to ‘force’ them in into emitting a type of special, polarised light that can bypass the anti-glare filter to reach the viewers’ eyes.

Of course, with this problem out of the way, manufacturers can create more energy-efficient OLED panels and reduce the carbon footprint of the devices that use them.

Wade capitalized on the benefits that this research could bring: better brightness, contrast, and longer lifespan as well as improved energy efficiency.

Other Applications

Although the research focuses specifically on OLED, the team noted that their approaches and materials can also be applied elsewhere. Light polarisation in the materials they discovered can be useful for data transmission, storage, and encryption that can aid in computing and data security.