A Definitive Guide on Working of OLED TV

Featured Image Caption: OLED TV Guide

If you look back to a decade ago, you will find that the computer screens and televisions to be bulky and big due to CRT (Cathode Ray Tubes) technology that was utilized in them. The biggest TVs were about 40 to 60 cm deep and it was too heavy to be lifted by one person. After that, there was the advent of LCD screens which shrunk the size of the electronic displays significantly. Then, came the LED screens, which were not quite different from the LCD TVs. The TVs had not just shrunk in size but could now be mounted on walls. You cannot really tell a difference by looking at the TVs. The significant difference that they had was in the reduction of electricity consumption of the electronic displays. The latest technology in TVs that has created a significant buzz in the last couple of years is OLED, or the Organic Light Emitting Diode. Read on to find out the workings and other aspects of OLEDs.

Defining the basics of OLEDs

OLED, or Organic LED consists of a display technology that has OLED panels emitting their own light when electric current is made to pass through them. The OLED TV is resultantly super-light and come with a true contrast ratio. This means that their blacks are darker and whites are brighter than the other electronic displays. They also offer deep color saturation, wider color gamut, and a wide view angle.

The details of the organic part of OLED

The word organic is generally associated with food items or the other objects that are produced in an environment-friendly way. However, in case of an OLED TV, the term organic has a different meaning altogether. You need to think in terms of chemistry where organic compounds are those that have rings or lines of carbon atoms. Everyday goods like gasoline, sugar, wood, and plastics are all known as organic compounds. OLED has an organic layer or film that is inside the panel in front of a glass screen, which is the reason why the term organic, is used with it.

The way of working for the LEDs

The working of OLED is very similar to that of an LED. That is the reason why you need to understand the working mechanism of the LEDs first in order to have a better grasp on the workings of the OLEDs.

The LED has two layers of semiconductor material and one of them is slightly high in electrons or has high negatively-charged particles, whereas, the other material is rich in the number of protons. When these two layers are joined, there is an electrically neutral area at the junction. It is in this neutral that the excess protons and electrons jump over to the other side to cancel out each other.

However, when these two layers are connected using the electrical contacts and an electrical current is passed through them, the surplus electrons start releasing the protons from the other side, which leads to the emission of light. The OLED TV works using the same principle and the only difference is that they utilize organic molecules in the place of semiconductor materials for releasing the electrons.

The parts contained inside the OLEDs

Typical OLEDs consist of six layers. The bottom layer is called the substrate and the top layer is called the seal. After these layers come the layers of anode (positive terminal) and cathode (negative terminal). In between these layers are the conductive and emission layers.

The mode of working for the OLEDs

When you switch on the power, the negative terminal (the cathode) starts getting electrons from the source of power and the positive terminal (the anode) starts to lose them. Thus, the layer of emission attached to the cathode becomes negatively charged and the conductive layer becomes positively charged.

The positively charged particles have more mobility than the negatively charged ones and they start crossing over to the layer of emission. Each time the positively charged particles come in contact with the electrons, there is a release of a burst of energy in the form of photons, and thus, light is produced. The process continues till the power stays on. The moment you stop the power, the screen becomes dark.

There is also a kind of OLED where polymers replace the organic molecules. These are called polymer LEDs or light-emitting polymers.

The advantages offered by OLEDs

If you look from the perspective of the consumers, the obvious advantage that the OLEDs offer over LCDs and LEDs is that they offer better contrast between different colored lights. You get a great picture quality because the pixels for OLED produce the light themselves and do not depend on the backlights, as you find in case of LCD and LED screens. The screen offers a wide viewing angle, which ensures a better experience for the viewers. They also have a fast response time, and are more flexible, thinner, and consume much less electricity.

There are a few minor drawbacks, like the limited durability, cost, and high water sensitivity. Even then, continuous efforts are going on to ensure that the OLEDs become more affordable for everyone. Certain technological tweaks are underway that will make the OLEDs more durable than the present variants. With all the improvements in the pipeline, the OLEDs are set to rule the TV market in the days to come.

By Dinesh Mittal
who is a seasoned writer and has over the years contributed quality content on various high-profile websites. He has particularly excelled in niches like Fashion, Business, Entrepreneurship, Education etc. His professionalism, four year’s experience, and expertise make him one of the most sought-after content writers in the field.

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