Luminous Molecules

(Image: Pixabay CC0) - Twisted molecules play an important role in the development of organic light-emitting diodes. A team of chemists has managed to create these compounds with exactly the three-dimensional structure that they wanted. In so doing, they are smoothing the path for new and better light sources. They flash as a warning, glow red on standby mode, and light up your dinner table; light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have become indispensable in our daily lives. Somewhat less well-known, but just as ubiquitous, are organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs for short. This technology is used in the screens of smartphones, tablets and monitors. It is cheaper to produce in the form of a thin-film component, but cannot yet compete with conventional LEDs in some ways, such as in light output and lifespan.