Originally published by OLEDs World Summit
Ahead of the OLEDs World Summit 2020 Online, we spoke with Dr. Michael Boroson, to get a sneak peek of what we can expect from his presentation, and learn more about current and emerging applications of OLED technology beyond mobile displays and TVs.
Why have you decided to present at the 2020 OLEDs World Summit?
The OLEDs World Summit is one of the best conferences to attend and at which to present for companies and people who are focused on OLED technology. The OLED centric nature of the conference provides an opportunity to present to and hear from suppliers, competitors, customers, and others who are focused on or competing with OLED.
As we are unable to hold an in-person event this year, the 2020 conference will be 100% virtual. What value do you think this format will add to delegate experience?
I am hoping that the ease of attending and the lower cost of attending will increase total attendance and provide a larger audience for all presenters.
Your presentation is titled “Current and Emerging Applications of OLED”, can you tell us why you felt this topic should be shared with the OLEDs World Summit audience?
OLED mobile displays and OLED TVs are well known for their unmatched performance and growing market share, but OLED is more than mobile displays and TVs. OLED is being used today in general and specialty lighting applications, in automotive and other transportation lighting applications and in micro-display consumer, commercial and military applications. These other markets are emerging markets that are less well known, but which have huge potential. I felt it was important to discuss these other applications for both the supply chain and for potential customers, so that together we can grow these other markets.
What innovation do you hope to see in OLED applications over the next few years?
OLEDs continue to improve in performance (e.g. efficacy, lifetime, reliability). In the last 5 years OLED lighting efficacies have doubled and lifetimes have tripled. In the next few years, I expect to see further improvements in efficacy and lifetime, but I also expect to see development of other attributes like increased segmentation, white color temperature tuning, and specialty products like amber, logos or lighting for branding.
What industry barriers/challenges exist, technical or otherwise, that prevent industry progress? How does this event help to address those challenges?
The number one barrier/challenge is awareness. Most people don’t know OLED lighting and micro-displays are available or why they might prefer OLED lighting or micro-displays over other options. As an industry we need to raise that awareness. Leaders like Acuity Brands Lighting and Audi are doing that, but more companies need to join to create a critical mass. This conference is an opportunity for the entire OLED community to come together and join in the effort to increase awareness of all the OLED markets so we can all help OLED technology grow.
With advancements in alternative technologies such as MicroLEDs and Quantum Dots, what actions do you think the OLED industry needs to take to remain competitive?
To compete with alternative technologies the OLED industry must focus on both improving performance (brighter, longer lifetime, higher efficiency, higher quality) and lowering cost. LEDs, mini and micro-LEDs, Quantum Dots will try to displace OLED in display and micro-display and will continue to try to hold off OLED in lighting, so the best approach for OLED is to do things the competition cannot do as well or to do things at a significantly lower cost than the competition can do.
What are some of the most interesting and/or innovative solutions that are impacting your work at this time?
Some of the most interesting innovations impacting my work are improvements in high efficiency blue emitters and hosts, light extraction, color temperature tuning, segmentation and the high brightness and long lifetimes made possible by OLED stacking technology.
What are you most looking forward to at this year’s online conference?
I am looking forward to the presentations on OLED and micro-LED applications including micro-displays and lighting and the presentations on new OLED materials.
Do you have any additional thoughts that you would like to share?
We are still in the early stages of OLED technology and market development. Prior technologies are working hard to keep OLED at bay and new technologies are working hard to displace OLED before it fully matures. We are in the midst of a great competition, but anyone who has seen an OLED TV or mobile display, OLED taillight, or OLED lighting fixture side by side with the competition knows that OLED technology enables amazing, beautiful, unique products that are currently unmatched by any other technology.
