LG Display showcased a large organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel that achieves the industry's highest brightness and energy efficiency simultaneously through its proprietary technology. This targets the premium display market, including artificial intelligence (AI) TVs that require ultra-high definition and low power consumption.
On the 16th, LG Display held a technical briefing on its fourth-generation large OLED panel technology at LG Science Park in Magok, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, stating that it has increased the maximum brightness of OLED TV panels from the existing 3000 nits (1 nit equals the brightness of one candle) to 4000 nits. This represents the brightest screen among currently available OLED TV panels. The higher the brightness, the more vibrant the representation appears to the human eye, leading the industry to regard brightness as a core element of picture quality.
Kang Won-seok, senior vice president in charge of large product planning at LG Display, noted, "AI TVs implement ultra-high-definition of up to 8K or more through real-time content analysis via upscaling, making panels with high brightness and energy efficiency essential," adding, "We have created the capability to perfectly realize AI TV performance at a cost level acceptable to consumers."
◇ 'Primary RGB' tandem technology increases brightness by 33% and energy efficiency by 20%
Regarding the fourth-generation large OLED panel unveiled that day, Lee Hyun-woo, head of the large division at LG Display, expressed confidence, saying it is "the essence of innovation that has surpassed the limits of existing displays, utilizing LG Display's unique technologies such as 'primary RGB tandem' and 'ultra-low reflection technology.'"
The core of the fourth-generation technology lies in the primary RGB tandem structure, which independently stacks the three basic colors of light: red (R), green (G), and blue (B). By adding two blue light layers to independently stacked red and green light layers, a total of four layers are configured as the light source. This method adds one more layer compared to existing displays, increasing the amount of light produced and achieving a screen that is 33% brighter. Lee Jin-sang, a researcher at LG Display, stated, "Thanks to each red, green, and blue light element being separated into individual layers, the color purity has improved, enhancing the color brightness from the previous 1500 nits to 2100 nits."
The industry emphasizes that energy efficiency is as crucial as panel brightness. LG Display explained that it has improved the energy component structure and power supply system, raising the energy efficiency of its fourth-generation OLED TV panels by approximately 20% (based on a 65-inch model) compared to prior versions.
◇ "Developed special film to block 99% of light reflection"
Another core technology applied to the fourth-generation OLED panel is the 'ultra-low reflection technology,' which is at the lowest level in the industry. LG Display has developed a special film that blocks 99% of light reflection, creating a screen with no reflections, even in bright conditions, akin to a dark movie theater. Often, in bright spaces, the display surface reflects surrounding light, causing the images to overlap or black areas to appear gray; however, this special film cancels out both the light that reflects off the panel's surface and the light absorbed and then reflected back from inside the panel.
This researcher stated, "By achieving so-called 'perfect black,' the color reproduction rate shows almost no change even at a brightness of 500 lux, and the color accuracy remains at 100%," adding, "while the harmful blue light ratio in liquid crystal display (LCD) panels accounts for 80% of the entire wavelength, the harmful blue light ratio in the fourth-generation OLED TV panels is only 45%."
LG Display plans to equip its highest-end lineup, which will be mass-produced this year, with fourth-generation OLED TV panels and gradually incorporate primary RGB tandem technology into gaming OLED panels.