Light Emitting Polymers - Global Developments

SUMMARY

Electronic Displays to Bolster Commercial Viability of LEPs

Commercial use of emerging conductive light emitting polymers (LEPs) is likely to surge as manufacturers of electrical and electronics components demand economical and highly efficient conductive materials. Easy processing, strength, and stability of conductive polymers will be key features attracting manufacturers of complex electronics devices. LEPs may also find acceptance over a broad spectrum of commercial applications including electronics displays, antistatic textiles, battery electrodes, and capacitor electrolytes.

This Frost & Sullivan research analyzes new developments within the light emitting polymers market from a technological perspective. It evaluates the factors driving markets and applications, and the challenges likely to be encountered by new developments. Potential applications such as organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and various display technologies such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have been discussed in detail.

LEPs to Enable Cost Savings and Sophistication in Displays

LEPs are expected to find immense growth opportunities in OLEDs, which use organic material to generate light instead of complex crystalline structures. "Organic-based circuits comprising LEPs are easier to make, especially in large sizes. These circuits will be less sensitive to any impurities during fabrication, thus reducing cost and lowering consumer price tags," says the analyst.

Growing demand for better quality and high-information content displays is expected to be met by LEP-equipped OLEDs that provide wide viewing angle, quick responses, image clarity, and wide operating temperature ranges. LEPs also meet the increasing need for ultra-thin and flexible displays. New types of displays can also be made using LEPs by controlling their flexibility and transparency. For instance, on windshields and helmets, direct-view, heads-up display containing LEPs may eliminate the need to reflect imagery onto a viewing glass.

New and Upcoming Applications to Fuel Growth of LEPs

"Large area devices in which the polymers would be an alternative to amorphous silicon could be an important opportunity for LEP displays," notes the analyst. Deployment of LEPs in clock radios, appliance and instrument readouts, automotive dashboard displays, and aircraft cockpit displays is likely to catalyze market growth and potential. Television screens, luminous traffic and information signs, and light-emitting wallpaper in homes are also expected to broaden the use of LEPs.

LEP displays may face intense competition from LCDs with backlights and inorganic LEDs used in portable handheld applications. However, economical power consumption, better contrast ratio, and increasing readability and resolution ? specifically in lap tops and cell phones, provide LEP displays with an edge over the competitors.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Key Findings

1. Light-Emitting Conducting Materials

2. Semiconductor Properties

Applications; Scope and Methodology

1. Light Emitting Devices

2. Scope and Methodology

2 INTRODUCTION TO LIGHT EMITTING POLYMERS

Perspective

1. Light-Emitting Diodes

2. Classes of OLEDs

Emitting Light

1. Emitting Light

2. Properties

3. Fabrication

4. Advantages of LEPs

5. Challenges

6. Surface Brightness

7. Commercial Status

3 ASSESSMENT OF LIGHT EMITTING POLYMER RESEARCH

US-Based Research

1. Photo-Crosslinkable Polymers

2. Organic Heterostructures

3. Ion Mobility

4. Spin Coating

5. Long Polymers

6. Organic Bi-Stable LEDs

7. Polyrotoxane Polymers

8. Nanolithography

9. Infrared Emission

10. Spontaneous Luminescence

11. Organogermanium Polymers

12. Attaching Fluorescent Materials

International Research

1. United Kingdom--Wavelength-Scale Structures

2. United Kingdom--Light Emitting Polymer Interface

3. Austria and Germany--Electro-Phosphoresce at Room Temperature

4. United Kingdom--Patterning

5. Germany--Oxetane Side Groups

6. Korea--Very Low Bias Voltage

7. United Kingdom--Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor

8. United Kingdom--Conjugated Materials

9. Germany--Pixellation

10. Israel--Near-IR Plastic LEDs

11. UK-German Collaboration--Cyclodextrin

12. United Kingdom--Polyfluorene

13. United Kingdom--Photolithography

14. Japan-TFT Drivers

15. Hong Kong-High Efficiency Electroluminescence

4 RESEARCH ORGANIZATION PROFILES

North America-Based Research Organizations

1. California Polytechnic State University

2. Georgia Institute of Technology

3. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

5. Oak Ridge National Laboratory

6. Ohio State University

7. Pennsylvania State University

8. Princeton University

9. University of Alabama

10. University of Arizona

11. University of California at Los Angeles

12. University of California at Santa Cruz

13. University of Florida

14. University of Pennsylvania

15. University of Utah

North America-Based Companies

1. American Dye Source Inc

2. Dow Chemical Co

3. DuPont Displays

4. Elecon Inc

5. General Electric Co

6. IBM

7. Lumileds Lighting LLC

Asian-Based Research Organizations

1. City University of Hong Kong

2. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

European-Based Research Organizations

1. Delft University of Technology

2. Helsinki University of Technology

3. Imperial College London

4.

Institute of Polymer Research Dresden

5. Linkoeping University

6. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

7. Technion-Israel Institute of Technology

8. University College London

9. University of Cambridge

10. University of Koeln

11. University of Otago

12. University of Saint Andrews

13. University of Sheffield

14. University of Wollongong

15. VTT Microelectronics

European-Based Companies

1. British Technology Group

2. Cambridge Display Technology

3. Covion Organic Semiconductors GmbH

4. Craft Data Ltd

5. Exitech Ltd

6. M. Braun GmbH

7. MicroEmissive Displays Ltd

8. Royal Philips Electronics

Asian-Based Companies

1. Seiko-Epson Corp

2. Solomon Systech Ltd

3. Toppan Printing Co Ltd

5 LIGHT EMITTING POLYMER MARKETS AND APPLICATIONS

New Markets

1. Light Emitting Polymers Offer Hopes of Better Displays

2. LEP Applications

3. Portables Handhelds and Laptops

Decision Support Databases. End Use Marketplace Analysis

1. Global Installed Base of Mobile Handsets by Region and Country

2. Global Installed Base of PCs by Region and Country

3. Global Installed Base of Televisions by Region and Country

4. PDA Sales and Forecasts for North America

6 PATENTS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

Patents

1. Patents- 2001 through 2003

2. Patents- Pre-2001

Bibliography and Key Contacts

1. Bibliography

2. Key Contacts

7 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Excellence in Technology

1. Excellence in Technology

2. Award Recipient

Technology Leadership

1. Technology Leadership

2. Award Recipient