DISPLAY SYSTEMS

PHOTOACTIVE AND ELECTROACTIVE MATERIALS

ORGANIC MATERIALS USED IN OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES

organic materials which exhibit electro – optical properties similar or superior to classical
inorganic materials have and used in optoelectronic devices are referred to as photo and electro
active organic materials. They are being used in Organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs).
organic light- emitting diodes (OLEDS), and organic field-effect transistors (OFETS).

Devices using organic materials have the following advantages over inorganic semiconductor-based
devices:
a) They are lightweight and flexible.
b) They can be easily synthesized by chemical methods and Cost of production is less.
c) They can be used in novel thin-film flexible devices.
d) Properties can be fine-tuned by structure modification.

These organic materials when used in devices, they exhibit opto-electronic phenomena as:

a) Absorption and emission of light radiation in the wavelength region from ultraviolet
to near infrared.
b) Photogeneration of charge carriers.
c) Transport of charge carriers.
d) Injection of charge carriers from the electrode.
e) Exhibit excellent nonlinear optical properties.
Organic compounds with extensive conjugation and π-electron systems are capable of exhibiting
above mentioned set of properties.
Those organic materials can be broadly classified in to three categories:

a) Small molecules : Examples are anthracene, pentacene, and fullerenes

b) Oligomers : pentacene, and oligothiophenes
c) Polymers : polyacetylene , polyanilines

RADHIKA.N.P, Assistant Professor, Department of chemistry, [Link] of Technology, Bangalore-109.

 NANOMATERIALS USED IN OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES

The size silicon transistors have been reduced from 1000 nm three decades ago to about a few
tens nanometers today, there are limitations to further reduce their size. Nanomaterials with
electro-optical properties can help in size reduction of future opto-electronic devices. Graphene,
fullerenes, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), are carbon based materials which show good electrical,
electronic and optical properties. Quantum dots (QDs) with typical diameters as low as 0.5 nm
of a large diversity of materials, including silicon, germanium, different III-V compound
semiconductors, such as GaAs, GaN, II-VI materials, such as CdS, CdSe, and
semiconducting oxides such as ZnO, TiO2, etc. show interesting properties. These materials
along exhibit unique kind of light-matter interactions like surface plasmon resonance. They
can be used in future photonic and electronic devices.

LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAYS

LIQUID CRYSTALS

Liquid crystal may be described as a distinct state of matter in which the degrees of molecular ordering lie
intermediate between the ordered crystalline solid state and completely disordered liquid. The liquid
crystal state also referred to as mesophase.

Classification of Liquid crystal

Liquid crystals are classified into two main categories, namely,

1. Thermotropic liquid crystals

2. Lyotropic liquid crystals

RADHIKA.N.P, Assistant Professor, Department of chemistry, [Link] of Technology, Bangalore-109.

 1. Thermotropic Liquid Crystals
The class of compounds that exhibit liquid crystalline behaviour on variation of
temperature alone are referred to as thermotropic liquid crystals. For example, Cholesteryl
benzoate exhibits liquid crystal state in between 145.5°C and 178.5°C.

Thermotropic liquid crystals may be further classified as:

a) Nematic liquid crystals
b) Chiral Nematic liquid crystals
c) Smectic liquid crystals

a) Nematic liquid crystals

Nematic (Greek nematos = thread like) liquid crystals are formed by compounds that are
optically inactive. The molecules have elongated shape and are approximately parallel to one
another. An example of a nematic liquid crystal is para-azoxyanisole (PAA) which exhibits

liquid crystalline behaviour in the temperature range of 118oC to 135oC.

b) Chiral (Twisted) Nematic Phase

Chiral nematic or twisted nematic liquid crystals (TNLC), are formed from optically
active compounds having chiral centres. Compared to nematic phase where all the molecules
are approximately parallel to one another, in chiral nematic phase, the molecules arrange
themselves so as to form a helical structure.

Cholesteryl benzoate, cholesteryl myristate and cholesteryl formate are some examples of
compounds which exhibit chiral nematic phase.

c) Smectic Mesophase
Substances that form smectic phases are soap-like (in Greek, smectos means soap). In
smectic mesophase, there is a small amount of orientational order and also a small amount
of positional order. The molecules are arranged in regularly spaced layers (positional order).

RADHIKA.N.P, Assistant Professor, Department of chemistry, [Link] of Technology, Bangalore-109.

 d)Discotic Liquid Crystalline Phase
Liquid crystal phase is shown by molecules which have disk-like or plate-like
structure. These are referred to as discotic or columnar liquid crystals. These molecules
have rigid structures like benzene, triphenylene in the central part.

2. Lyotropic Liquid Crystals

Some compounds transform to a liquid crystal phase when mixed with a solvent. They
have both polar lyophilic and a non-polar, lyophobic end. They are amphiphilic compounds.
Such amphiphilic molecules form ordered structures in both polar and non-polar solvents. They
are usually obtained by mixing the compound in a slovent and increasing the concentration of
compound till liquid crystal phase is observed. Such liquid crystals are called lipotropic liquid
crystals. The formation of lyotropic mesophases is dependent on the concentration of either the
component or the solvent. Examples: (i) soap (soap - water mixture) molecules.

RADHIKA.N.P, Assistant Professor, Department of chemistry, [Link] of Technology, Bangalore-109.

 PROPERTIES OF LIQUID CRYSTALS

Electrical and Optical properties of Liquid crystals

(ELECTRO-OPTIC EFFECTS IN LIQUID CRYSTALS)

Effect of Electric Field

The director in a liquid crystal is free to point in any direction. But when a film of liquid
crystal is placed between two plates and an electric field is applied across them, and then the
director is forced to point along a particular direction. This transition (deformity) is important
in the operation of the liquid crystal displays (LCD) because the transition brings
about a significant change in the optical characteristics of the liquid crystal.

Effect of light

When plane polarized light is made to pass through two crossed polarizers, no light
emerges out. This is because, the light emerging from the first polarizer is completely
absorbed by the second polarizer and hence appears dark.

Thus, if a display is obtained by placing liquid crystal in between two polarizers and the two
polarizers are placed inclined to each other at an angle similar angle of rotation by liquid
crystal. If a source of light radiation is kept below first polarizer, it passes through it and
rotated by liquid crystal and passes through the second polarizer. Hence, it gives bright
appearance to display.

RADHIKA.N.P, Assistant Professor, Department of chemistry, [Link] of Technology, Bangalore-109.

 Now, if an electric field is applied between two polarizers, then liquid crystal molecules will
rearrange themselves to applied field and hence the rotation of plane of the polarized light is
also affected. Thus, light passing through first polarizer cannot pass through second
polarizer and it gives dark appearance to display.
Thus, display appears bright in the absence of electric field and appears dark in the presence of

an electric field. This combination of optical and electrical properties of liquid crystals is used
in Liquid Crystal Displays.

APPLICATIONS OF LIQUID CRYSTALS IN DISPLAY SYSTEMS

The electro-optic effect of liquid crystals controls brightness/ darkness of the light
emerging from its elements and this is used in information displays. Information is passed
on to the user, using liquid crystal which controls the brightness/ darkness of the display.

Construction of display
A simple numeric display consists of seven segments for each digit which is used to
display numbers in calculators and watches. The seven-segment display is shown in figure.
Seven segments of the display are labelled as a, b, c, d, e, f and g. The top and bottom glass
plates of a display have electrode patterns formed by etching a layer of indium tin oxide using
standard photolithographic process. Liquid crystal mixture is filled in the cell formed by sealing
the edges of the top and bottom glass plates. The distance between the top and bottom glass
plate is called the cell thickness. It is usually in the range of 4 to 8 micrometer to ensure that the
display can be switched in milliseconds. The quantity of liquid crystal mixture used in a display
is small. All the seven segments in the bottom glass plate are interconnected as shown in the
figure. Light from the area of each of the seven segments or pixels is controlled independently
and is used to create any one of the ten digits.

RADHIKA.N.P, Assistant Professor, Department of chemistry, [Link] of Technology, Bangalore-109.

 Working of display

When the light of the display is ON and electric field is not applied to any of the
segments, then all the segments appear bright. Numeric display will not display any number
as shown in the figure.

Hence, light passes through second polarizer also and display appears bright when light is
ON.

Now, if electric field is applied to a, b, c, d, and e segments of the number. Then liquid
crystal molecules in this part are aligned to external field, change the rotation angle of light
and prevent the light from passing through second polarizer. Therefore, a, b, c, d, and e
segments will appear dark. Display will show number 3 as shown in figure below.

Similarly, applying electric field to only b and c segments will show number 1, applying electric
field to only a, b and c segments will show number 7 and applying electric field to all segments
will show number 8. In this way 0 to 9 numbers can be displayed by applying electric field
across appropriate segments.

Liquid crystal displays operate at low voltages (a few volts) and consume less power as compared
to other display and hence are used in:

a) Watches, calculators, mobile telephones, laptop computers and related electronic

gadgets.
b) Indicators in automobile dashboards, airplane cockpits, traffic signals,
advertisement boards and petrol pump indicators.
c) Blood pressure instruments, digital thermometers and TV channel indicators.
d) pH meters, conductometers, colorimeters, potentiometers and other analytical
instruments.

RADHIKA.N.P, Assistant Professor, Department of chemistry, [Link] of Technology, Bangalore-109.

 ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING DIODES (OLED’S)

Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) is an electroluminescent device that uses

organic molecules as a source of light emission. Light is emitted by organic material when
an external field is applied across it.

PROPERTIES AND APPLICATIONS OF AN OLED

OLEDs are mainly used in display and lighting applications. They exhibit several
unique features which have made them so useful for these applications. Important features
of OLEDs for display and lighting applications are given below:

In Display applications:

1. OLED devices have solid and planar structure. Therefore, OLED display panels
are very thin, flat and lightweight.
2. The response time of OLEDs is as fast as micro- or nanosecond order. Therefore,
OLED displays can produce sharp moving images.

3. In OLEDS, the emission is from organic materials. Using variety of different

organic materials various colors can be generated. Therefore, full-color images
can be created.
4. The driving voltage of OLED devices is low, just a few volts. Therefore, OLEDS
can be driven by thin film transistors (TFT). Hence, the power consumption of
OLED displays is very low.

In OLED lighting applications:

1. OLEDs have a solid and planar device structure. Therefore the lighting units of
OLEDs are thin, planar and lightweight.
2. The planar shape avoids heat concentration. Hence, temperature elevation in OLEDs
is very low.
3. OLEDs are self-emission devices, emission of light from OLED lightings is non-
directional.

RADHIKA.N.P, Assistant Professor, Department of chemistry, [Link] of Technology, Bangalore-109.

 QUANTUM LIGHT EMITTING DIODES (QD-LEDS)

QD-LEDs are a form of light- emitting technology used f o r creating large-area displays.
In QD- LEDs the light emitting is from the Quantum Dots (QDs), such as cadmium
selenide (CdSe) nanocrystals. They emit light under applied electric field.

PROPERTIES AND APPLICATIONS OF AN (QD-LEDS)

QD-LEDs are superior to other display technologies like liquid crystal displays (LCDs),
OLEDs, and plasma displays due to ideal blend of features like:

a) high brightness,
b) more flexibility,
c) high-quality lighting with superior color gamut,
d) Low-processing cost.

These superior performances of QD-LEDs are due to their unique optical and electronic
features as given below:

a) high quantum yields,

b) broad excitation profiles,
c) narrow/symmetric emission spectra,
d) High resistance to metabolic degradation.

These unique properties of QDs are mainly due to the nano size of crystals.

Intrinsic energy bandgap of QD depends on its size. It increases with the decrease in the
size of the QD. The color of the light emitted by QD is directly connected to its size. The
optical properties of QDs are tunable just by changing nanocrystal size.

QD-LEDs are the more reliable solutions for flat-panel TV screens, digital cameras,
mobile phones, and personal gaming equipments. QD-LEDs displays will be large, flexible
and would not deteriorate as easily as OLEDs.

RADHIKA.N.P, Assistant Professor, Department of chemistry, [Link] of Technology, Bangalore-109.

 Light Emitting Electrochemical cells
PROPERTIES AND APPLICATIONS OF AN (LEC)

A light-emitting electrochemical cell (LEC) is an organic molecule containing electronic

device which emits light when an electric current is applied across it. Light emission in
these devices is due to movement of ions as a result of electrochemical redox reactions.

Properties:

1. LEC is a simple single layer device. It can emit light from just a single active layer.
2. Light emission in these devices is due to movement of ions as a result of electrochemical
redox reaction under applied external field.
3. The light emitter in an LEC is immobile and in direct contact with both electrodes.
4. LEC can be printed as a thin film using grapheme and carbon nanotube electrodes.

Applications:
1. They are mainly used as lighting devices.

2. They can be used in display devices.

RADHIKA.N.P, Assistant Professor, Department of chemistry, [Link] of Technology, Bangalore-109.