If you have one of our picks for the best OLED TV, then wear and tear may be a nagging concern in the back of your TV-appreciating mind; But there could soon be a panacea for this problem.
This is because the University of Cambridge (through research published in Nature) has designed ultra-narrow band blue emitters that prevent unwanted energy transfer from the current output of blue OLEDs that can cause burn-in.
In simple terms, blue OLEDs, which are critical components of RGB displays, are problematic for the longevity of OLED TVs due to their construction and being the least stable subpixels. The transfer of energy from a sensitizing component to an emitter module can affect the efficiency and stability of a blue OLED, which can cause the OLED to age and panel burn-in.
However, by using diodes that emit blue light along the narrowband spectrum, with an emissive core insulated with alkylene strips, blue OLEDs can be produced that can suppress unwanted energy transfer, leading to a better efficiency and stability. And using this technique can avoid the need for a sensitizer component with a high energy gap matrix (used to reduce energy transfer from the sensitizer to the emitter module).
In short, this could lead to OLED panels that have a longer lifespan, are more resistant to wear and tear, and require less complex manufacturing. And eliminating unwanted energy transfer could lead to OLED displays that consume less power, leading to TVs, phones and tablets with displays that are more energy efficient.
Of course, these new blue OLEDs are in the research phase and should be incorporated into future OLED panel manufacturing. But there is a lot of potential here to bring burn-resistant, long-life OLED TVs to market.
For what it's worth, I use an LG C1 OLED TV and the Alienware AW3423DWF monitor with a QD-OLED panel, both of which have not shown any signs of burn-in. But these have smart features to help with refreshing and pixel burning, while less advanced displays may not be as robust.
Continued research into the longevity and efficiency of OLED remains welcome, even if advances take a long time to reach the consumer TV market. After all, even in the face of mini-LED displays, it doesn't look like OLED displays are going away anytime soon.
