Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the Eindhoven University of Technology have successfully developed a new type of organic semiconductor that emits circularly polarised light, potentially eliminating the need for traditional external polarisers. This advancement, published in Science, could have far-reaching implications for OLED display technology, impacting everything from smartphones to high-end televisions.

As they are used today, OLED displays rely on external circular polarisers to suppress ambient reflections, improving contrast but significantly reducing brightness. These polarizers can absorb up to 50% of emitted light, meaning much of the power to illuminate a screen is effectively wasted. The new research, however, has led to OLED pixels that inherently emit circularly polarised light. If this technology can be refined for mass production, it could result in significantly brighter, more power-efficient OLED displays or a combination of both.

The researchers state that the breakthrough is based on triazatruxene (TAT), which naturally self-assembles into a helical stack. This molecular structure forces electrons to move in a spiral pattern, allowing the emitted light to retain polarisation without needing an external filter. According to the team, this enables OLEDs to be more energy-efficient and produce higher brightness levels, addressing a significant limitation of current display technology.

Although alternative solutions, such as Samsung’s On-Cell Film (OCF) OLED technology, have already demonstrated improvements in display efficiency—gaining around 33% brightness—Samsung’s approach still relies on external films to manage reflections. In contrast, the newly developed circularly polarised OLEDs (CP-OLEDs) emit light in a way that negates the need for additional filtering, meaning even more significant efficiency gains could be possible.

Professor Sir Richard Friend of Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory, who co-led the research, emphasised the potential impact of this development, stating that molecular semiconductors offer incredible flexibility in design:

Unlike rigid inorganic semiconductors, molecular materials offer incredible flexibility—allowing us to design entirely new structures, like chiral LEDs. It’s like working with a Lego set with every kind of shape you can imagine, rather than just rectangular bricks.

Further tests demonstrated that CP-OLEDs made with TAT achieved record-breaking efficiency, brightness, and polarisation levels, making them the most effective. According to the researchers, this discovery represents a significant step forward in OLED development and could be an essential component of the next generation of display technology.

While it may take years before CP-OLEDs reach consumer devices, this breakthrough joins other advancements such as tandem OLEDs, blue phosphorescent OLEDs (PHOLEDs), and micro-lens array technology, all aimed at pushing the boundaries of what OLED displays can achieve. For consumers, this could mean OLED panels that are significantly brighter, longer-lasting, and more power-efficient, extending battery life for mobile devices and reducing energy consumption in larger displays.

With the OLED market continuing to expand and manufacturers pushing for ever-higher levels of brightness and efficiency, in years to come, we may well remember this breakthrough as defining moment in the evolution of display technology.

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