LIGHT EMITTING

POLYMER
Zeeshan Haque
ECE B2 4th year
UE105109
Group 6

TABLE OF CONTENT
1.

What is Light Emitting Polymer?

2.

Architecture

3.

Chemistry Behind LEP

4.

Types of LEP Display

5.

Manufacturing Process

6.

Types of LEPs

7.

Advantages

8.

Limitations

9.

Applications and Future Aspects

10. Conclusion

WHAT IS LEP ?
LEP is a polymer that emits light when a voltage is

applied to it. The structure comprises a thin film semi

conducting polymer sandwiched between two electrodes
namely anode and cathode.
When electrons and holes are injected from the

electrodes, the recombination of these charge carriers

takes place, which leads to emission of light that escape
through glass substrate.
The ban gap, that is energy difference between valence

band and conduction band of the semi conducting

polymer determines the wave length, that is colour of
the emitted light.

ARCHITECTURE
The film of conducting polymer is
sandwiched between the anode and cathode.
The components are .
ANODE (Indium Tin Oxide)
CATHODE(Metals)
SUBSTRATE (Glass or Clear Plastic)
Voltage is applied between Cathode and

Anode

CHEMISTRY BEHIND LEP

When Voltage is applied the

positive and negative charge at

cathode and anode respectively
will move to the polymer
section.

They will combine to form

excitons

Excitons which are excited

particles returns to initial state

thereby emitting energy in form
of radiations

TYPES OF LEP DISPLAYS

The LEP displays are two types namely, passive matrix
and active matrix.
Passive matrix
To drive a passive matrix display, the current is passed

through select pixels by applying a voltage to the

drivers attached to the corresponding rows and
columns. Intersection forms the pixels.

Matrix can scan each pixel to switch on or off . These

schemes pattern the anode and cathode into

perpendicular rows and columns and apply a data signal
to the columns while addressing the sequentially.

If brightness is to increase the current through pixels

increases.

Features of Passive Matrix LEPs

Easy to make
More Power Consumption
If size of display increases it gets difficult to handle.
Each pixel emits light for small length of time.
Flickering is more
It is used for small displays.

Active Matrix
In active matrix architecture, a thin film
polysilicon transistor on the substrate address
each pixel individually.
Each pixels brightness is controlled by TFT,

TFT holds the current.

Current flow in TFT is controlled by setting

TFT drivers.

MANUFACTURING PROCESS
Spinning Coating Process is
one of the manufacturing
processes of Light Emitting
Process.

Step
a

Substrate is placed on a spinning plate rotating at

around thousand rotations per minute.

Step
b

Robotic arm will pour certain amount of polymer

solution to the substrate.

Step
c

The substrate is spinned so that there is uniform

spreading, later it is baked.

Step
d

Extremely thin layer of polymer of thickness about

100nm is obtained

Printer based technique

Ink Jet head, ink and substrate are different.
Primary colours are jetted to the substrate
Uniformly spread the substrate

TYPES OF LEP
The types of LEPs available in the market
include flexible, stacked and transparent.
Flexible organic LEPs(FOLEPs)
They are built on flexible substrates and

they are less fragile.

These materials provide the ability to

conform, bend a display into any shape.

They are impact resistant, ultra lightweight

and thin form.

So these find application on helmet face

shields, military uniforms, shirtsleeves and

automotive windshields.

Transparent organic LEPs(TOLEPs)

The employ an innovative transparent

contact(substrate) to achieve an
enhanced display. They can be top,
bottom or both top and bottom emitting
(transparent).
In this two LEPs are sandwiched
Bi-directional LEPs will provide two

independent displays emitting from

opposite faces of the display.
With portable products shrinking and

desired information content expanding,

transparent LEPs are a great way to
double the display area for the same
display size.
They have better display and faster

response.

Stacked organic LEPs

These consists of array of vertically

stacked sub-pixels of TOLEPs .

Colours is tuned by controlling RGB

sub-pixels.

Brightness is adjusted by controlling

current along the RGB stacks.

Mainly used in large displays.

ADVANTAGES
Require only 3.3 volts and have lifetime of more then 30,000 hours
Greater power efficiency than LCDs.
No directional or blurring effects.
Can be viewed at any angle( upto 170 degrees).
Simple to use and environment friendly.
Fast switching speed, that is 1000 times faster than LCDs.
Higher luminescence efficiency.
They dont additional elements like the backlights, filters and polarizers

that are typical of LCDs.

LIMITATIONS
Aging of LEP
One of the major barriers to the commercial development of LEP is its

useful lifetime. Even under ideal conditions, the light intensity gradually
decreases and some discrete regions become totally dark. This
phenomenon is the aging of LEP.
One method to reduce or stop aging is that the final soldering of the

displays is to be done in an airtight environment because as soon as the

LEP molecules come in contact with oxygen, these would disintegrate. The
solution was to do the final soldering in a glass jar filled nitrogen.

Space charge effect

The effect of space charge on the voltage-current characteristics and current-

voltage characteristics becomes more pronounced when the difference in the

electron hole mobility is increased.
Consequences of space charge include lowering of the electric fields near the

contacts and therefore suppression of the injected tunnel currents and strongly
asymmetric recombination profiles for unequal mobility thereby decreasing the
luminescence and hence decreases the efficiency.
Low market availability

APPLICATIONS AND FUTURE

ASPECTS
Full colour high-resolution mobile phones.
Heads-up instrumentation for cars
Lightweight wrist watches
High definition televisions.
Roll-up daily refreshable electronic newspapers
Automobile light systems without bulbs
Windows/wall/partitions that double as computer

screens
Military uniforms
Aircraft cockpit instrumentation panel a lot of others

CONCLUSION
Have both electrical and optical properties.
A low cost solution for flat TVs.
Hazardless to environment.
Have some limitations, but it is the superior technology so its FUTURE IS

BRIGHT.