Light emitting diodes based on organic materials

Organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) have drawn the attention of many researchers for theoretical and for practical reasons. Works on the excited states formation mechanisms in organic thin films and on the chemical and physical factors driving all these processes cover the first aspect. The second is strictly related to the perspective that these devices could revolutionize the market for displays, going to replace liquid crystals in next generation displays for portable devices. They will be thin, brilliant, with wide viewing angle and low power consumption. They will be also assembled into flexible objects like tissues, toys, interior decorations. The drawbacks for an industrial use is still represented by the difficulties to obtain devices operating for more than 10.000 hours, due to the high sensitivity to oxygen and moisture. The recent introduction of monochromatic and colour displays prototypes by some industries (IBM, DuPont, Philips, Kodak, Osram) is the proof of the progress done on this particular aspect in these last years. (author)