Samsung SDI has on display the company's latest OLED (organic light emitting diode) display prototypes including a 40" model at the FPD International 2008 trade show in Yokohama, Japan.
Samsung SDI showcased a 40" full HD (1,920?1,080) OLED display. The prototype features a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1, 200cm/m2 (peak luminance of 600cd/m2) brightness and it is 8.9mm thin.
Samsung first announced development of a 40-inch OLED panel in 2005. At that time the screen had a 1,280 pixel by 800 pixel resolution but the new panel has full high-def 1,920 pixels by 1,080 pixels, which in addition to being higher resolution than the previous model is also a TV panel resolution while the previous screen was a computer panel resolution.
The company has followed new approaches for LTPS, such as the Super Grain Silicon (SGS) technology that allowed the company to succeed in the development of such a large OLED display. In addition, the "Super MicroCavity Bottom Emission" structure technology has enabled a color gamut of 107% NTSC.
Larger OLED (organic light-emitting diode) panels often attract people when on show because of the rich colors and bright, crisp images they can display. OLED technology is currently under development by companies like Samsung with an eye to it one day replacing LCD (liquid crystal display) as the screen of choice for televisions and other audio-visual displays.
In addition to their often-lauded picture quality, OLEDs have other advantages over current displays. The pixels in OLED screens contain an organic material that emits light when energized. That means an additional light source isn't required, so the screens can be kept thin. It also helps reduce power consumption.
Samsung also had on display a 31" Full HD OLED as well as smaller 14" 1,366x768 models, all featuring a , and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 and a brightness of 200 cd/m2. Samsung has not disclosed when these prototypes will enter mass production.
Another interesting product was what the S.Korean company calls "flapping display". It is a paper-thick (0.05mm) OLED display that was can be hung in the air as an A4 paper page. The 4" display has 480 ? 272 pixels, a contrast ratio of 100,000:1, and the luminance of 200cd/m2. The color reproduction range is 100% of the NTSC standard.
A semi-transparent OLED panel was also in display. The 4.82" panel has a transmittance of 30%, a resolution of 840 ?504, and its luminance is 200cd/m2. The response time is 0.01ms.
Samsung also showcased an ultra fine Definition 63" (4096 ? 2160) PDP panel. In order to achieve such a high resolution, the plasma display has pixels sized at just 0.339 x 0.363mm.
