Light Sources Based on Organic Electroluminiscent Materials as an Alternative to Light Bulbs

Dresden research facilities and well-known industry partners work together to meet the special requirements of the general lighting market with new technologies and to make with that possible an energy-saving and economical alternative to electric light bulb or fluorescent tube in a medium term. Using the roll-to-roll-concept, noticeable lower coating costs are expected in comparision to cluster or inline concepts used for display production. Furthermore the use of e.g. low-priced aluminum foils as substrate for the deposition of very efficient organic light-emitting diodes is planned as a further cost reducing step. Aim of the project is among other things the implementation of a pilot plant.

Among the Technical University Dresden with its Institut für Angewandte Photophysik (IAPP), the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Electron Beam and Plasma Technology (FEP) count the company Novaled AG as OLED technology developers, the VON ARDENNE Anlagentechnik GmbH (VAAT) as a manufacturer of industrial coating plants, the LayTec GmbH as a specialist for a optical process measuring technique at coating plants as well as the department of Lighting of the Philips GmbH as a global market leader in the lighting sector to the project partners.

"Light sources based on organic electroluminiscent materials offer the potential to make a high light intensity possible at a low energy consumption on mechanically flexible substrates." said project head Prof. Dr. Karl Leo (IAPP) about the high expectations. "Due to the excellent experiences of our partners and by creation of a complete value chain from the plant engineers, over OLED technology developers up to the users we will be able to bring the outstanding competition position of the German OLED industry fundamentally forward. By the formation of the consortium and the technological approaches the exploitation of the projects results shall be made possible by a production of lighting solutions based on OLED in Germany.“.