Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: USDC Awards Plextronics Phase II of $1.8 Million Contract to Expand Plexcore HIL Development for OLED Displays

Home > Press > USDC Awards Plextronics Phase II of $1.8 Million Contract to Expand Plexcore HIL Development for OLED Displays

Abstract:
The U.S. Display Consortium (USDC), an industry-led public/private partnership
providing a common forum for flat panel display manufacturers and developers, FPD users and the supplier base, and Plextronics a world leader in developing and delivering active layer technology for printed electronic devices, announced today that Plextronics has received Phase II funding of
a $1.8 million contract. This contract supports the continued development of Plexcore technology to increase the lifetime and efficiency of organiclight emitting diode (OLED) displays. The USDC and Plextronics will continue to share the costs associated with the project. The objective of Phase II is to expand Plexcore HIL development to enable commercial performance of small molecule organic light emitting diode (SMOLED) displays.

USDC Awards Plextronics Phase II of $1.8 Million Contract to Expand Plexcore HIL Development for OLED Displays

SAN JOSE, CA and PITTSBURGH, PA | Posted on February 7th, 2007

During Phase I, Plextronics increased the lifetime and efficiency of
OLEDs utilizing commercial polymeric emitters (PLED) with Plexcore HIL.
This resulted in Plexcore HIL devices exhibiting greater than 4X the
operating lifetime compared to devices made with current commercial hole
injection layer (HIL) materials. As a result of this project, Plexcore HIL
for OLEDs is currently in qualification with a leading Asian display
manufacturer.

The goal for Phase II is commercial ready solution processed HIL
formulations specifically designed for SMOLED displays. This project will
provide a necessary component for rapid commercialization of high
performing SMOLED displays via inexpensive solution processing methods.
These results will ultimately improve the Plexcore HIL technology for all
solution processed based OLEDs.

"Our goal for Phase I was to improve the performance of polymeric OLED
displays, and this was achieved with Plexcore HIL. The USDC is very
impressed with the breadth and depth of knowledge that the Plextronics'
team brought to the project and their ability to 'turn the knobs' within
the active layer technology to optimize the efficiency and lifetime of OLED
displays. Plexcore technology will assist in driving the commercialization
of OLED displays," stated Dr. Bob Pinnel, CTO of the USDC.

"We would like to thank the USDC and its member companies for their
support and assistance during Phase I. Their insights were invaluable. The
end result is a product ready to be commercialized. We look forward to
achieving the same results with Plexcore for SMOLED devices," explained
Andrew Hannah, President and CEO of Plextronics.

The USDC R&D program is a collaborative effort of private industry and
the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, located in Adelphi, MD.

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About Plextronics
Plextronics, Inc. is a world leader in developing and delivering active
layer technology for printed electronic devices - OLED displays and
lighting, polymer solar cells and plastic circuitry. Active layer
technology is the printed conductors and semiconductors that drive device
performance. Plextronics has unsurpassed control of polymer design and ink
formulation, as well as an intimate understanding of device physics and its
impact on device performance. This knowledge is applied to the creation of
Plexcore technology, which is specifically designed for each application to
maximize device efficiency and operating lifetime in a cost effective
manner. In 2006, Plextronics received the following recognition: The Wall
Street Journal Technology Innovation Awards Runner-Up, the Organic
Semiconductor Industry Awards Start-Up of the Year, A Top 50 Nanotechnology
Start-Up by Lux Research, and NREL Clean Energy Entrepreneur of the Year.
For additional information, please visit http://www.plextronics.com

About USDC

The USDC is an industry-led public/private partnership providing a
common forum for flat panel display manufacturers and developers, FPD users
and the supplier base. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, the consortium's
primary mission is to manage supply-chain projects and share the results
with USDC member companies. The USDC also provides a communication channel
among industry, government and the financial communities for display
issues, sponsors workshops to broaden the impact of technological
developments and educates consumers on the importance of displays in
providing access to information technology. For more information about the
U.S. Display Consortium, visit our website at http://www.usdc.org