With the continuous advancement of LED technology and the gradual reduction of costs, Flexible screens application continues to expand. Do you know the difference between the flexible LED display and flexible OLED display? How to choose them? Doitvision will introduce the details.
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What is a flexible LED display?
A flexible LED display is a bendable and foldable LED display, which is made of flexible substrate materials (such as polyimide PI, polyethylene terephthalate PET, etc.). It breaks the plane limitation of traditional LED display screens and can fit irregular surfaces such as arcs, cylinders, and spheres. So it can provide unlimited possibilities for creative visual displays.
Principle
The working principle of the flexible LED display is based on the light control display technology of LED pixels, combined with flexible substrates to achieve deformation capabilities.
Specifically:
- Light-emitting mechanism: Each pixel is composed of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) three-color LED lamp beads. By controlling the intensity and combination of the lamp beads, a full-color picture is deployed.
- Flexible implementation: Flexible PCB or polymer substrate is used instead of traditional rigid materials to keep the circuit connectivity and structural stability of the screen when it is bent or folded.
- Control system: Receive signals through the main control circuit, drive the LED module to display dynamic content in real time, and support video, image and special effects processing.
Structure and material composition of flexible LED display screen
Structural composition:
- LED lamp bead assembly: The LED display unit is composed of RGB LED lamp beads arranged in high density. The smaller the distance between the lamp beads, the higher the resolution.
- Flexible substrate: Materials such as polyimide (PI), PET and other polymers. As carriers of LED lamp beads and circuits, they have excellent mechanical properties and withstand bending deformation.
- Drive circuit: Flexible PCB (FPC) uses flexible insulating substrate, and the circuit can bend with the screen; the control chip processes image signals and adjusts brightness and color.
- Packaging material: Silicone protects LED lamp beads, improves light output efficiency, and buffers external force impact.
- Connection and control system: Magnetic or snap-on structure realizes rapid splicing between modules; the main control unit receives external signals and assigns display tasks.
Features of LED flexible screen
High flexibility and plasticity:
- It adopts flexible substrate
- can be bent to 120°-145°
- supports arc, cylindrical, spherical and other special-shaped splicing
- adapts to complex installation environments.
Excellent physical properties:
- It is resistant to pressure and impact, and the special structural design disperses external forces
- It is suitable for outdoor advertising, sports events and other scenes;
- it is lightweight and thin, with a thickness of only 5-10mm
- a weight of about 10kg/㎡, which is easy to install and carry.
Excellent display effect:
- high refresh rate (up to Hz)
- delicate picture without residual image; wide viewing angle (140°-160°)
- covering a wider audience;
- anti-blue light technology, effectively reducing visual fatigue.
Innovation in materials and structures:
- flexible PCB + silicone mask ensures the softness of the module;
- high protection level (IP65) is waterproof and dustproof, and adapts to harsh outdoor environments.
Customization and compatibility:
- supports personalized design to meet artistic needs;
- compatible with multiple signal sources, and supports 2D/3D animation playback.
Core advantages
- Innovation screen: Breaking through the limitations of traditional planes, achieving creative displays such as curved and three-dimensional, and enhancing visual impact.
- Scene adaptability: It is Suitable for high-end applications.
- Cost-effectiveness: Modular design reduces maintenance costs;
- energy-saving and environmentally friendly, LED technology has low power consumption (<300W/㎡),
- saving more than 50% energy compared to traditional screens.
Technology fusion potential:
- Combine VR/AR technology to expand immersive experience scenarios;
- support intelligent control (such as automatic brightness adjustment, remote content update).
Application:
- Dynamic signs in shopping malls
- Outdoor landmark advertising
- Immersive backgrounds in stages
- Interactive displays in museums
- Information screens at transportation hubs
- Smart hospital guides
- Building media facades
- Interactive installations in art exhibitions
- Special application scenarios
- VR/AR auxiliary displays
Related:
How Much Does a Flexible LED Display Cost?
What is a flexible OLED display?
Flexible OLED (FOLED) display is an organic light-emitting diode display device. It is based on a flexible substrate (such as polyimide PI, polyethylene terephthalate PET, etc.). Its core feature is that it can be bent, folded, or even curled while maintaining the display function intact.
Principle
The working principle of flexible OLED display is based on the phenomenon of organic electroluminescence, combined with a flexible substrate to achieve deformation capability. Specifically:
- Luminescence mechanism: cathode electrons and anode holes recombine in the organic light-emitting layer (EML), releasing energy to excite organic molecules to emit light.
- A multi-layer structure is used to optimize carrier balance and improve luminescence efficiency.
- Flexible realization: Polyimide and other polymer materials are used to replace glass substrates, and thin film encapsulation technology is used to block water and oxygen to ensure that the screen is structurally stable when bent/folded.
- Driving mode: Low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) or oxide (IGZO) TFT array is used to control pixel current, supporting high refresh rate (above 120Hz) and touch integration.
Structure and material composition of flexible OLED display
Structural layering:
- Flexible substrate: materials such as polyimide (PI, temperature resistance above 400℃) and PET (bending resistance above 10,000 times), providing mechanical support and bearing bending stress.
- Transparent conductive layer: materials such as indium tin oxide (ITO, transmittance>85%) and tin oxide (TO), transmitting current to pixels, acting as anode.
- Organic functional layer: including hole injection layer (HIL), light-emitting layer (EML), electron transport layer (ETL), etc., to optimize carrier transport and luminous efficiency.
- Metal cathode: materials such as magnesium silver alloy (Mg:Ag), low work function promotes electron injection.
- Encapsulation layer: materials such as SiNx/SiOx inorganic layer + polymer organic layer, water and oxygen permeability <10⁻⁶g/m²·d, protecting the internal structure from external environment.
Features of OLED flexible screen
- Bendability and freedom of form: Polyimide plastic substrate is used to replace traditional glass, and thin film packaging technology is used to achieve dynamic bending, folding and even curling.
- Supports internal and external bending, 360° bidirectional bending, sliding and rolling, etc., providing unlimited possibilities for device design.
- Extreme display performance: Self-luminous technology presents perfect black and infinite contrast (dynamic contrast ratio reaches :1), and the color saturation is more than 30% higher than LCD;
- wide viewing angle (178°), response speed is times faster than LCD, and dynamic picture has no tailing.
Ultra-thin and lightweight:
- Remove the backlight layer and adopt a two-layer structure
- the thickness can be as thin as 0.44mm, and the weight is only 7.2g, which is more than 50% lighter than traditional screens.
Low power consumption and long battery life:
- Pixels can be completely turned off when displaying dark colors
- the overall power consumption is 30%-50% lower than LCD,
- significantly improving the battery life of the device.
Core advantages
Strong adaptability to scenarios:
- can be spliced into arc, cylinder, curved screen, widely used in advertising creativity, stage background, conference display and other fields;
- It is suitable for car-mounted central control, sunroof, atmosphere light, smart watch, folding screen mobile and other scenarios.
Improved durability and stability:
- flexible structure is 50% more resistant to falling than traditional OLED, reducing the risk of accidental damage;
- supports magnetic installation, easy maintenance,
- better moisture and sun protection than LCD.
Application
- High-end smartphones
- Wearable devices
- Smart cockpit interactive screens
- Transparent window displays
- Interactive display cabinets in museums
- Dynamic signs in retail spaces
- Smart mirror displays
- Smart refrigerator door panels
- Special application scenarios
- Medical monitoring equipment
Comparison of core differences
Technical principle and structure comparison:
Performance parameter comparison:
Cost and maintenance comparison:
How to choose?
How to choose between flexible LED screen and flexible OLED screen. You need to make comprehensive considerations based on specific application, budget, display requirements and technical characteristics.
Application selection suggestions
Prefer flexible LED screens
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Outdoor advertising/building curtain walls: high brightness (> nits), waterproof, and high temperature resistance (-30℃~60℃) are required.
Stage and exhibition: special-shaped splicing (cylindrical, wavy), long life (100,000 hours) and dynamic deformation capability are required.
Car display: vibration and impact resistance (such as transparent screens on car A-pillars and curved dashboards).
Large-size display: curved advertising screens in shopping malls (>100 inches), with lower costs .
Prefer flexible OLED screens
Consumer electronics: mobile phones, foldable tablets (such as Samsung Galaxy Fold), smart watches (ultra-thin and lightweight).
High-end indoor display: home theater, AR/VR headsets (high contrast, pure black effect).
Wearable devices: flexible health monitoring screens (fitting the skin, low power consumption).
Small size and high resolution requirements: medical equipment screens (8K display required, such as surgical microscopes).
Selection Tips
Does it need to be used outdoors?
Yes → Flexible LED screen due to high brightness, weather resistance).
Do you need ultra-high contrast or ultra-thin design?
Yes → Flexible OLED screen is suitable for mobile phones, high-end displays).
Is the budget sufficient?
Yes → OLED (pursuing the ultimate picture quality).
Does it need to be bent or folded frequently?
Yes → OLED can be smaller bending radius. It is suitable for foldable devices.
No → LED is better for large-size curved scenes).
Conclusion
Flexible LED screens and OLED flexible screens play their respective advantages in different application scenarios. flexible LED screens dominate the outdoor advertising, creative screens, etc. due to their high brightness, long life and excellent weather resistance; while OLED flexible screens shine in the consumer electronics, vehicle interior screens, etc. due to their extreme flexibility, high contrast and low power consumption.
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