OCF OLED: Samsung Display shows OLED panel with 5,000 CD / m² 9 comments
The display supplier Samsung Display raises the brightness of OLED displays with the specially developed OCF technology to up to 5,000 CD / m² and therefore wants to offer lighter and more efficient OLED panels for smartphones. To achieve this, the OLED panel does not require an additional polarizer.
OCF OLED can do without additional polarizers
A polarizer is an additional plastic layer for an OLED panel, which is intended to absorb the incident light outside the sun or artificial light sources, so that the display can be read as perfectly even in ambient light. The black value can also be reduced via the reduced reflections and thus achieve a deeper black and thus a higher contrast. This goes hand in hand with the self-illuminating pixels in OLED panels, which can ideally represent a perfect black, which is supported by the polarizer.
ODEd image building 1 of 3
However, the disadvantage of the technology is that the polarizer must also penetrate the opposite direction of the light. The plastic layer can swallow more than 50% of the possible brightness of the panel, explains Samsung Display. Here, Samsung’s OCF OLED technology (film in cell) comes into play, which does not require a polarizer by applying a special film directly to the panel that has the same properties. This technology is also called “Color Filter on Encapsulation” (COE) and sold by the company under the brand name “Eco² Oled”.
First used in the Galaxy Z Fold 3
The technology is not completely new, Samsung Display had already presented it under “Eco² OLED” in the summer of 2021 and used parent company Samsung Electronics for the first time in the Galaxy Z Fold 3 (hands-on) of the same year. Samsung also talks about lead in the new panels, which is significantly less bulky than the full name: “Low power consumption, eco-friendly grip, increased brightness and designed to be thin and light.”
Considerably brighter or much more economical
With the current generation, however, the company is clearly increasing in terms of brightness and making the panel thinner. OCF OLED should enable displays with 5,000 cd/m² brightness at 10% of the panel. According to the Samsung display, over 3,000 cd/m² should be possible in full screen. According to the company, 50% higher brightness can be achieved than with current OLED panels with identical power consumption. With the same brightness of current OLED panels, consumption with the new generation can be reduced by 63%.
OCF OLED with 5,000 CDs/m² versus OLED with 2,000 CDs/m² Image 1 of 5
Without polarizers, 20% thinner OLED panels can be produced. OLED displays are not particularly thick due to the undisclosed backlight, but each on the way to smartphones with larger batteries, more space for components or with thinner cases may be important during development. After OCF OLED was found in foldable smartphones, Samsung Display now wants to bring the technology into devices with a classic “bar types” design.
Topics: Samsung MWC 2025 Smartphone Display
Sarah tracks innovations in smartphones, evaluating their performance, design, and key features.
