Low Voltage, High Efficiency White Phosphorescent OLEDs for Lighting Applications

72964-If the energy used for lighting in residential, commercial and industrial sectors could be reduced by 50% in the U.S., over $25B per year could be saved. Organic light emitting device (OLED) technology is now being developed as a new potential low cost, high efficiency source of solid state lighting. However, considerable research and development is required to both improve device efficiencies and lifetimes, and reduce costs. This project will develop low-cost, solid-state, white light sources by combining novel low voltage dopants, world-record-efficiency phosphorescent OLED devices, and a stacked PHOLED architecture to produce a high power efficiency (greater than 50 lm/W) organic light source. Phase I demonstrated a white device, based on red, green, and blue PHOLED emitters, having a world record power efficiency of 20 lm/W at a luminance of 800 cd/m2. The overall excellent performance was accomplished without the use of outcoupling enhancement, so there remains significant potential to further increase the power efficiency by incorporating p- and n-type electrical dopants and new high-conductivity materials into the device structure. Phase II will fabricate and demonstrate a white SOLED with greater than 50 lm/W, and a 6" x 6" light panel consisting of four 3" x 3" sub-panels greater than 25 lm/W. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by awardee: An energy-efficient, low-cost, solid-state white organic light-emitting device (OLED) should create significant benefits for end users, manufacturers, and the general public. These include: energy savings, economic savings, environmental savings, domestic energy independence, new lighting solutions, and the growth of a new industry and markets.