PYRAMID POWER. One of the problems with high resolution full-color organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays is the patterning of red-green-blue materials. Currently, this patterning is done by shadow masking technology, which limits the pixel size and resolution. This problem is eliminated in a new UCLA (Yang Yang, 310-825-4052, yy@seas.ucla.edu) design which uses rows of three- or four-sided pyramids as the pixels for producing ranks of red, green, and blue emission with high resolution (see figure at Physics News Graphics).

The unique design of pyramid pixels can also improve the efficiency of the panel by eliminating the optical waveguide effect (light being trapped in the substrate). The UCLA researchers expect to have a working pyramid pixel panel in about two years. (Yang and Chang, Applied Physics Letters, 14 August /pnu/2000/; Select Articles.)