OLED Lighting | Corning and OLEDWorks | Corning

Corning has helped enable lighting solutions since 1879 with the encasement of the original incandescent light bulb created by Thomas Edison.  Now, nearly 140 years later, Corning continues to challenge the boundaries of the lighting industry through its involvement with OLED lighting.  Corning is collaborating with OLEDWorks, creators of world class, cost-effective lighting solutions, to bring OLED lighting to market.  

Corning’s relationship with OLEDWorks began in April 2015 with the announcement of a collaboration agreement to create unique and conformable next generation OLED Lighting solutions using Corning® Willow® Glass that is thin, lightweight and cool to touch. Unlike traditional panel lighting, OLED lighting offers the unique design of luminaires which can be conformed to a curved surface.

To help promote the benefits of OLED lighting technology, Corning and OLEDWorks launched a contest in the spring of 2016 to offers designers, including students and emerging professional designers an opportunity to design the next generation of lighting based OLED technology that can be integrated into luminaires, architecture, building materials, and furniture to create a seamless lighting design experience. 

“We launched the contest to provide designers and architects with a great opportunity to take a closer look at OLED Lighting offerings and more importantly where they see themselves using it in the future,” said Dr. Dipak Chowdhury, division vice president & program director, OLED Lighting.

OLED lighting panels also enable low-glare, are cool to touch and can be utilized in a variety of lighting applications for hospitability and retail spaces. They can also be transparent when turned off or mirror like which opens up additional interior design opportunities for walls or vanity mirrors.

“We believe that the design community will be really excited about the possibilities that OLED lighting enables,” Dipak said. “Our relationship with OLEDWorks, their expertise with OLEDS and extensive industry contacts, along with Corning’s expertise with specialty glass are helping to make this a reality.”

Corning and OLEDWorks are actively working towards the development of the first end-market applications of Willow Glass as part of an OLED lighting application.

“When people first see beautiful OLED light quality from only a millimeter-thick glass it is almost like magic,” said Michael Boroson, Chief Technology Officer.  “With Corning’s Willow Glass, the substrate is so thin that the light almost floats freely.  Corning’s specialty glass expertise is unsurpassed and we are excited to work with them to open up new lighting paradigms for designers.”