Samsung shows 31in organic screen

Samsung is expected to show a 31in organic display at next week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, according to the US trade magazine Twice.

The news comes as Sony began selling in Japan a TV with a 11in Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) TV display.

OLED screens, which use carbon-based polymer semicondocutors instead of the usual silicon, have previously been available in small sizes for devices such as phones or cameras.

They emit light rather than blocking it, unlike the liquid crystal layer in an LCD screen, and so are inherently more efficient, making them very promising for mobile use. Power drain can be further reduced (n theory, at least) by shutting down unused areas of the screen.

OLED screens are also brighter than LCD ones, with better contrast; and they can be thinner as they do not require a separate illumination layer.

Samsung's 31in screen is a prototype but the company is expected to mass-produce4 14in versions some time this year. The lifespan of the prototype is said to be 35,000 hours, which is among the best of its type.