SDK to Produce Large Area Organic EL Panels, Using Phosphorescent Polymer Technology

02-16-2007: Accroding to the company, Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) has made progress in its development of organic electroluminescent (organic EL) device technology based on a singlelayer organic electroluminescent devices based on phosphorescent polymer materials, achieving the world's highest external quantum efficiency of 17% for green light and 16% for blue light, respectively, with durability of 350,000 hours (initial luminance: 100 cd/m2). SDK is also developing a large surface-emission panel based on this polymer technology and will build a trial volume-production line by the middle of this year.

While fluorescent organic EL devices are already available on the market for mobile phone display applications, phosphorescent organic EL devices, which are yet to be commercialized, can theoretically produce four times higher emissive efficiency, resulting in about one-fourth electricity consumption. SDK has achieved a breakthrough by developing a new copolymer - in which phosphorescent substance and other materials are mixed.

Although low-molecular-weight-compound-based organic EL devices need to be produced at under vacuum, polymer-based organic EL devices can be produced under less expensive, normal conditions. So far, problems with emissive efficiency and durability hampered commercialization efforts. With SDK's proprietary singlelayer organic electroluminescent devices based on phosphorescent polymer materials and cleaning/interface control technology, however, it is now possible to produce high-performance and stable organic EL panels. SDK will further improve the technology and aim to place the new product on the market by the end of 2008.