Kodak Licenses OLED Technology to Tohoku Device

Eastman Kodak Co. announced today it has licensed organic display technology to Tohoku Device Co. Ltd. of Iwate, Japan, to incorporate into white organic LED (OLED) modules for use as backlights in displays. The royalty-bearing license enables Tohoku Device to use Kodak technology for OLED backlights in a variety of flat-panel display applications and includes a cross license to Tohoku Device's patent portfolio. The agreement also gives Tohoku Device the opportunity to purchase Kodak's patented OLED materials for use in manufacturing displays. Financial details were not disclosed. LED backlights -- including white-emitting OLEDs used as backlights -- comprise thin films of organic materials that emit light when stimulated with an electrical charge. They are thinner, more uniform and less expensive than conventional backlights used in LCD displays, Kodak said, benefiting applications such as digital cameras, portable media players, mobile phones, PDAs and other devices. Tohoku Device joins more than 15 companies that have licensed organic display technology from Kodak.