Polymer light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) are drawing interest in the fields of display and lighting. LECs are printable, inexpensive light-emitting device which can be utilized for displays and lighting. Researchers at Linköping University and Umeå University in Sweden have conducted research and have improved the energy efficiency and lifetime of LECs, while also introducing new device concepts, such as the graphene- and polymer-based metal-free LEC.

These researchers have also been successfully developing technology for microfluidic components such as low-voltage pumps and separation systems for use in lab-on-a-chip devices. Lunavation AB, a holding company started by the researchers at Linköping University and Umea University, is commercializing these projects.

These two projects are clearly quite different, and Lunavation realized the need to start developing microfluidics and LEC-technology separately. As a result, LunaLEC and LunaMicro were formed as separate subsidiaries of Lunavation in the summer of 2012.

Progress on LECs is continuing, judging by LunaLEC’s recent honors at LOPE-C 2013, where the company received the Investor Forum Award for Most Impactful Technology/Product for its light-emitting electrochemical cells.

Patric Stafshede, managing director of LunaLEC, noted that the LEC technology is of the same vintage as OLED, with Qibing Pei (working with Alan Heeger’s group at UCSB) filing the first patent in 1995.

“The pioneers in the field focused more on OLEDs since life-time improvements materialized quicker with that technology,” Stafshede said. “Ludvig Edman came to Alan Heeger’s group in 2001 and was faced with some of the LEC challenges. But it wasn’t until he had returned to Sweden, renewed his interest for LECs and collaborated with Professor Robinson at Linkoping University that the major breakthrough in understanding the LEC lifetime impairments came.

Professors Robinson and Edman started Lunavation in 2010 to hold the IPR they had generated in different fields, and LunaLEC was formed in 2012. Initially this was also for IPR holding, but late 2012 the company received seed funding from regional investors and the first employees were retained for product and business development in January 2013. Stafshede noted there is still close collaboration with the research in Professor Edman’s group.

While not as well known as LED technology, LEC does offer many advantages, and that is drawing the interest of potential customers.

“The major advantage of LEC technology is that it has a self-doping active layer,” Stafshede said. “That means that regardless of the thickness of the layer, you will get the same amount of light in a given area. This leads to homogenous emission over a large area. LunaLEC is still pre-revenue, but the advantages of the technology are easily understood by potential customers, so there are several discussions ongoing.”

Stafshede noted that there are some challenges to be overcome in the field of light-emitting electrochemical cells, beginning with cost control across the entire device structure.

“The technology is currently niched towards low-cost applications,” Stafshede said. “This means that all steps in the manufacturing chain have to be efficient, even at small series.”

Stafshede sees some nice commercial opportunities for LECs in the coming years.

“The primary opportunities for LEC in the coming years is first to provide inexpensive small-area devices for incorporation into greeting cards, packaging and toys,” Stafshede said. “The second step is to provide inexpensive metal-free devices, where they can be almost disposable and put in the recycling bin.”