World's First OLED Print Head Uses Polymer Technology
Thursday March 16, 12:27 pm ET
CAMBRIDGE, England, March 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cambridge Display Technology (CDT) [Nasdaq: OLED] welcomes the announcement of what is believed to be the world's first OLED (organic light emitting diode) print head.
The announcement by Seiko Epson Corporation ("Epson") reveals that Epson has succeeded in creating a print head that uses OLED as a high brightness light source, opening the way for utilization of OLED as a new technology for printers, and potentially leading to the manufacture of color printers that are smaller, have higher resolution and faster printing speeds.
Epson was one of the first licensees of CDT's P-OLED technology, and their latest work is based on many years of experience of OLED technology for both displays and lighting. According to the announcement, Epson has developed a super-bright OLED by working with Sumitomo Chemical Co Ltd., who supplied the polymer material used in the development. Sumitomo is a joint venture partner of CDT in the development and manufacture of P-OLED materials.
Epson stated that it plans to step up its efforts in research and development to realize the full potential of OLED.
Current copiers and laser printers use LED or laser light sources, but this breakthrough will pave the way for the manufacture of a new generation of color printers. Polymer technology is proving to be a highly capable platform in demanding applications, and could prove highly suited for eventual use in such products as copiers, scanners and printers.
The successful development of thin, light and highly precise light sources significantly extends the range of applications that OLEDs can address beyond displays and into other fields which may require very high brightness levels or high operating temperatures. The combination of strong underlying material performance, and high resolution manufacturing methods, allow the scope of the P-OLED technology to be uniquely broad.
About CDT
Cambridge Display Technology is a pioneer in the development of light emitting polymers (P-OLEDs) and their use in a wide range of electronic display products used for information management, communications and entertainment. P-OLEDs are part of the family of organic light emitting diodes, or OLEDs, which are thin, lightweight and power efficient devices that emit light when an electric current flows. P-OLEDs offer an enhanced visual experience and superior performance characteristics compared with other flat panel display technologies such as liquid crystal displays, and have the key advantage that they can be applied in solution using printing processes. Founded in 1992, the company is headquartered in Cambridge, UK and listed on the US NASDAQ National Market under the symbol 'OLED'. In 2005, CDT and Sumitomo Chemical established a joint venture called Sumation(TM), which develops, manufactures and sells P-OLED materials to the display industry. More information on CDT can be found at: www.cdtltd.co.uk |
