LG Display said on Thursday that it has successfully verified the performance of blue phosphorescent OLED panels at the product level using a mass production line—making it the first company in the world to do so. The breakthrough follows just eight months of joint development with U.S. partner Universal Display Corp. (UDC).
This is the first time blue phosphorescent OLEDs have moved beyond lab testing to reach commercial viability, signaling a major leap forward in display innovation.
OLED panels use two primary methods for emitting light: fluorescence and phosphorescence. Fluorescent materials react directly to electrical input, but their efficiency is limited to around 25 percent. In contrast, phosphorescent materials briefly store energy before emitting light, achieving up to 100 percent efficiency and reducing power consumption by up to 75 percent. This makes phosphorescence a more energy-efficient method, though it is technologically challenging, particularly for blue light, which has a short wavelength and high energy requirements.
The high energy of blue light strains the materials used in blue OLEDs, leading to shorter lifespans than red and green emitters. This issue has long been an obstacle in achieving a fully phosphorescent OLED display that delivers high performance across all three primary colors.
To address these challenges, LG Display developed a hybrid two-stack tandem structure for its blue OLED panels. The design places a fluorescent blue layer below a phosphorescent blue layer, merging the durability of fluorescence with the energy-saving benefits of phosphorescence. This approach has enabled the company to cut power consumption by around 15 percent while preserving the stability of current OLED panel performance.
The hybrid design addresses the key challenges of blue OLEDs, including stability and efficiency. By carefully balancing the two layers, LG Display’s approach ensures longer operational lifespans and higher efficiency, both of which are crucial for improving the overall performance of OLED displays. The breakthrough is particularly important for high-resolution displays, as blue light plays a vital role in achieving color accuracy and sharpness.
LG Display’s new blue phosphorescent OLED panel will be unveiled at the Society for Information Display (SID) Display Week 2025 conference in San Jose, California, beginning May 11th. The panel, designed for use in smartphones, tablets, and IT devices, is expected to drive advancements in emerging markets such as AI-powered PCs and AR/VR headsets. LG Display has already completed the product-level verification in collaboration with Universal Display Corporation, marking a significant step toward the commercialization of this technology.
Yoon Soo-young, Chief Technology Officer of LG Display, described the successful commercialization of blue phosphorescent OLED technology as a major step toward the future of OLED displays. Often referred to as the “final piece of the dream OLED puzzle,” this breakthrough marks a significant advancement in display technology. Yoon emphasized that this achievement would be a milestone in the evolution of OLED panels, paving the way for next-generation, highly efficient displays with superior color accuracy and longevity.
