Radiation Cooler for OLED Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have a temperature-dependent operating lifetime, with significant degradation and potential irreversible failure above 120° C, and existing cooling methods often result in complex and costly optoelectronic assemblies.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a radiation cooler with a specularly reflective surface in direct physical contact with the optoelectronic component, utilizing a layer structure optimized for radiative cooling to enhance passive cooling, thereby reducing the average temperature and increasing the lifetime of the OLED.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If active cooling methods (Peltier element, forced convection, water cooling) are used to increase P_cool, then the cooling power is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The radiation cooler enables the OLED to cool itself passively by emitting thermal radiation in the 8-13 μm atmospheric window without requiring external cooling systems. The OLED's own thermal radiation is utilized for cooling, eliminating the need for Peltier elements, fans, or water cooling systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical cooling systems (Peltier elements, forced convection fans, water cooling pumps) with a passive radiative cooling system that uses electromagnetic radiation in the atmospheric window to transfer heat directly from the OLED to the environment, eliminating moving parts and mechanical complexity.
2Temperature
If the OLED is optimized to minimize P_heat through efficient construction, then the temperature control is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of thermal radiation (which normally contributes to heating) into a beneficial cooling mechanism by designing a system that maximizes emission in the 8-13 μm atmospheric window where the atmosphere is transparent, allowing heat to escape efficiently without requiring complex thermal management construction.
3Power
If the operating temperature is increased above 120° C, then the power output is improved, but the reliability decreases due to spontaneous irreversible failure
Solution Approach 1:
The radiation cooler is integrated into the OLED structure to preemptively counteract temperature rise before it reaches critical levels. By continuously emitting thermal radiation in the atmospheric window, the system prevents the OLED temperature from exceeding 120° C even during high-power operation, thereby maintaining reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The integration of a radiation cooler significantly increases the cooling power, leading to a longer operating and storage lifetime of OLEDs, with improved stability and reduced thermal power consumption, allowing for higher ambient temperature operation without complex cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
A radiation cooler has recently become known from the technical field of building cooling. A radiation cooler of this type has the property that it emits more heat via thermal radiation than it takes up via thermal radiation
Implementation Method 2
The atmospheric transmission window in the infrared range, in which essentially no absorption takes place
Implementation Method 3
the optoelectronic component is formed such that electromagnetic radiation incident on the radiation cooler from outside penetrates through said radiation cooler and impinges on the specularly reflective surface and is reflected by the latter
Data Source
AI summary
An optoelectronic assembly comprising an optoelectronic component, which comprises a specularly reflective surface and comprising a radiation cooler in direct physical contact with the optoelectronic component. The radiation cooler is arranged above the specularly reflective surface.