Transparent OLED Layout for One-Way Emission and Light Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional OLED displays struggle to achieve high transparency while emitting light primarily through a single surface, often requiring complex and costly constructions that compromise on overall transparency and thickness.

Innovation Solution

The development of OLED devices with emissive and locally-transparent regions, allowing for an overall transparency of at least 5%, where emissive regions are designed to emit light through a specific surface, and transparent regions enable light transmission, while maintaining a flexible and cost-effective fabrication on substrates like plastic.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If OLED devices use conventional constructions to emit light through a single surface, then light emission is achieved, but transparency is compromised and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight emissionVSAvoiddevice construction complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The OLED device is divided into distinct emissive regions and transparent regions within the same display structure. This segmentation allows different portions of the device to perform different functions (light emission vs. light transmission) simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between achieving single-surface light emission and maintaining transparency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the OLED device are assigned different optical properties: emissive regions are designed to emit light through the first surface with high intensity, while transparent regions are optimized for light transmission with minimal obstruction. This local differentiation of properties allows the device to achieve both light emission and transparency in appropriate areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If OLED devices increase transparency to appear transparent, then transparency is improved, but light emission capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoverall device transparencyVSAvoidlight emission intensity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The display is segmented into emissive regions where light emission is prioritized and transparent regions where transparency is prioritized. This spatial segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing the device to achieve high overall transparency while maintaining sufficient light emission capability in specific areas where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The device implements local quality differentiation by optimizing emissive regions for high light emission intensity and transparent regions for high light transmission. This allows the device to achieve an overall transparency of at least 5% while maintaining adequate light emission in the emissive regions for display functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Illumination intensity

If OLED devices use complex constructions to achieve single-surface light emission, then light emission is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesingle-surface light emissionVSAvoidfabrication complexity and cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The device structure is segmented into emissive and transparent regions that can be fabricated using standard OLED manufacturing techniques. This segmentation approach allows for simpler fabrication compared to conventional single-surface emission designs, as it leverages the natural transparency of certain OLED components and requires minimal additional processing steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The OLED device structure is designed to serve multiple functions: the same basic OLED architecture provides both light emission in emissive regions and light transmission in transparent regions. This multi-functionality reduces manufacturing complexity by avoiding the need for separate components or complex additional structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

This configuration achieves a balance between transparency and light emission, allowing for displays that appear transparent while emitting light primarily through one surface, with improved flexibility and reduced production complexity and costs.

Implementation Method 1

OLEDs make use of thin organic films that emit light when voltage is applied across the device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectroluminescence: Electroluminescence

Implementation Method 2

One application for phosphorescent emissive molecules is a full color display

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhosphorescence: Phosphorescence

Data Source

PatentUS11785804B2One way transparent display

Publication Date: 2023.10.10 UNIVERSAL DISPLAY CORP

AI summary

A transparent emissive device is provided. The device may include one or more OLEDs having an anode, a cathode, and an organic emissive layer disposed between the anode and the cathode. In some configurations, the OLEDs may be non-transparent. The device may also include one or more locally transparent regions, which, in combination with the non-transparent OLEDs, provides an overall device transparency of 5% or more.