Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology working in joint development with Idemitsu Kosan completed a new organic EL element featuring low power consumption and extended lifetime.

Compared to existing displays, the new small-molecule organic electroluminescent (EL) display panel for mobile equipment features one tenth the power consumption, and a lifetime of up to 30 times longer.

The joint development involved the TFT substrate design technology and element design technology of TMD; development of materials by Idemitsu, including RGB light-emitting materials and peripheral materials which offer high-efficiency and low-power consumption. As a result, TMD and Idemitsu succeeded in achieving the world's highest level of performance for an organic EL display screen of 2.2-inch QVGA (240x320) format suitable for mobile equipment applications, with power consumption of 100 mW (based on typical movie screen images, defined by 30% brightness of a full-white screen) and luminosity half-life of 60K hours (based on a full-white screen at 200 cd/m2).

Since the fine organic EL layer formed on the glass substrate is a light-emitting device, an organic EL display can achieve high-contrast and high-definition images. These displays can also realize high speed motion on the screen without blur and with a wide viewing angle. Furthermore, the organic EL displays feature resource-saving features, such as lower power consumption, and require less material to build the display, since no backlight peripheral components are necessary, contributing to the display's thinness.

In 2005 TMD provided low-volume production of 3.5-inch organic EL panels which were well accepted in the test market. Since January 2005, TMD has been working with Idemitsu on the development of materials for small-molecule organic EL display panels, evaluation of their compatibility with TFT circuitry, optimization of device design, and other joint development programs.

Idemitsu has been continuosly involved in the development of advanced light-emitting materials since 1997, at which time the company succeeded in developing a blue light-emitting material boasting the world's highest brightness based on the application of the company's proprietary molecular design and organic synthesis technologies. The company has also been actively working to develop technology for material combination to maximize the performance of organic EL materials and structural technology for organic EL elements, in addition to the development of advanced materials.

TMD said that it would proceed with the development of technologies for volume production of small- to medium-sized organic EL display panels for mobile equipment based on the results of this joint development.