OLED
Organic Light Emitting Diode
A thin, vivid display technology where each pixel lights up on its own when electricity passes through it.
In Simple Terms
An OLED screen works by having the display's own pixels light up to create the image. Since it doesn't need a backlight shining from behind like an LCD screen does, it can be made incredibly thin. It can switch off completely in areas meant to show black, so dark scenes look crisp and clear. You'll find it in smartphones, TVs, and plenty of other screens.
Behind the Name
"OLED" stands for "Organic Light Emitting Diode." The "Organic" part refers to the carbon-based materials used in the light-emitting layer, while "EL," short for electroluminescence, describes how a material glows when electricity flows through it.
Take a Closer Look!
OLED technology works by having a specific material emit light on its own when electricity flows through it.
To put it simply, imagine each tiny pixel that makes up the screen as its own little light bulb, glowing all by itself.
Traditional LCD screens work by shining a backlight across the entire display and using filters to block that light to create colors.
Because of this, even when displaying black, a little light always leaks through from behind, giving it a slightly washed-out look.
OLED screens, on the other hand, can simply turn off the electricity to any pixel that shouldn't be lit, switching it off completely, which allows for true blacks.
Since there's no need for a backlight, displays can be made much thinner and lighter.
This also makes it possible to design smartphones with ultra-thin bezels, or even ones with curved or foldable screens.
Another key feature is its fast response time.
Since pixels can switch colors quickly, fast-moving video and game footage display smoothly with minimal motion blur or ghosting.