OLEDS' OBSTACLES

摘要

Though organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs, hold significant potential as a light source with unique application potential, designers will have to continue to wait before the technology is ready for mainstream architectural lighting use. Because of OLEDs' low luminance and diffused output, their applications to date have been limited to signage backlighting, sculptural installations, and conceptual prototypes. The dearth in demand has kept OLED prices high and research and development budgets low as manufacturers focused instead their attention on LEDs and improving the quality and efficacy of those point sources. But OLEDs are attracting growing interest from lighting designers because of their simplicity, says Giana Phelan, director of business development at Rochester, NY.-based OLEDWorks, which acquired Philips' OLEDs business division and Lumiblade platform in 2015. "People are [experiencing] LED overload," she says. "They've had to learn a lot about waveguides and diffusers for LEDs. In comparison, OLEDs are pretty easy. They don't need anything but a driver and [a designer's] creativity."