An AC-driven OLED could open the door to a simplified system design without the need for a driver, which in turn could offer advantages for OLED luminaire makers.

Scientists from Philips Research in Aachen, Germany, have developed a organic LED (OLED) module that can be powered directly from a mains electricity supply. The prototype opens the door to OLED systems that can be directly plugged into standard power outlets without the need for bulky power management circuitry. This will reduce the bill of materials and simplify luminaire design for future OLED-based systems aimed at mass-market general illumination applications.

However, the physical characteristics of OLEDs mean they are conventionally powered from low-voltage, direct-current (DC) sources. In contrast, the Philips white-light module is powered by an alternating-current (AC) source, allowing it to be plugged directly into a mains wall socket.