Universal Display and IDD Aerospace/Zodiac Lighting Solutions Awarded U.S. Department of Energy SBIR Grant

Universal Display Corporation

, enabling energy-efficient displays and lighting with its UniversalPHOLED® technology and materials, has been awarded a $225,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I program from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Under the program, titled “Novel Energy-Saving Phosphorescent OLED Lighting Products,” Universal Display will partner with and subcontract IDD Aerospace/Zodiac Lighting Solutions to evaluate and demonstrate the potential for energy-efficient and cost-effective white OLED lighting panels for aircraft interiors. Universal Display and IDD Aerospace/Zodiac Lighting Solutions are collaborating to design and demonstrate an energy-saving shelf utility OLED lighting prototype for aircraft interiors. OLED lighting offers several significant advantages over fluorescent and incandescent lighting technologies traditionally used in aircrafts, including energy savings, reduced fuel consumption and carbon emissions, and minimal space requirements. The elegant form factor of OLEDs is expected to translate into an extremely thin and lightweight utility light design. “IDD has considerable experience in the development and production of utility lighting for aircraft,” said Beth de Young, General Manager at IDD Aerospace/Zodiac Lighting Solutions. “Through our partnership with Universal Display, we aim to contribute to a disruptive shift in the adoption of OLED lighting by providing a compelling early entry product. The data generated by developing this shelf utility light may be applied to larger-scale OLED lighting aircraft projects, including cabin applications for interior furniture, galley, interior structure enhancements, as well as other potential adoptions in cabin accent, task, ceiling and sidewall lighting, and sign backlighting.” “This U.S. Department of Energy award will allow us to further demonstrate the potential for high-efficiency, high-performance PHOLED lighting panels in an aircraft utility lighting application,” said Steven V. Abramson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Display. “Working with aerospace equipment leader IDD Aerospace/Zodiac Lighting Solutions, we have an excellent opportunity to highlight the energy efficiency, thin form factor, and potential cost effectiveness of phosphorescent OLED lighting panels. During this program, we will help IDD develop a path to commercialization for this exciting aircraft application and continue to advance key building blocks for future energy-efficient commercial and consumer lighting applications.” The DOE has made a long-term commitment to the development and introduction of energy-efficient, solid-state white lighting. UniversalPHOLED technology and materials have been essential to demonstrating white OLED lighting panels that meet the DOE's solid-state lighting targets. Additionally, Universal Display is at the forefront of developing complementary OLED technologies, including light extraction, thin-film encapsulation, and flexible OLED technologies.