In past months, Samsung filed several patents for a smart wrist-watch with a flexible display. Samsung already confirmed they are working on such a device, but this is the first time we see an actual patent that may offer a glimpse into what this future device will look like. I don't know if the patents actually detail an OLED display - such a design could also use a flexible E Ink panel. Although I think that Samsung will probably opt for a full-color OLED.

Apple is also working on such a device - at least according to rumors. Back in December 2012 we reported on the iWatch: a bluetooth smart watch that has a 1.5" touch PMOLED, apparently made by RitDisplay. In February 2013 the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal both posted about this rumor. In May 2013 Taiwan's Economic Times reported that Apple had made some prototypes with a 1.8" PMOLED, but decided they were too large and they will indeed opt for a 1.5" display.

eMagin posted their financial results for Q2 2013: $7 million in revenues (down from $8.6 in Q2 2012) and a net loss of $1 million. These are disappointing results due to lower contract revenues from US government agencies and manufacturing challenges.

The new SNU deposition tool is still problematic. eMagin accomplished almost half of the OLED deposition on the new machine, but neither yield nor output are where they want them to be. The company is utilizing personnel and other resources to optimize the tool - which incurred higher manufacturing costs. Currently the yields are about the same in the new tool and in the older Satella machine.

Cynora is a German startup established in 2003 that developed copper-based OLED emitter systems. In October 2012 the company unveiled a mostly-solution-based flexible OLED prototype, developed in collaboration with InnovationLab. Last month Germany’s BMBF launched the cyCESH project which aims to develop soluble (printable) materials for low-cost high efficiency OLED lighting devices. Cynora is the leader of the consortium in this €6 million project, together with Novaled and the University of Regensburg.

Cynora's technology is interesting and the company's CEO Dr. Tobias Grab and the company's Business Development manager, Dr. Mathias Mydlak, were kind enough to provide the information for this article explaining the company's technology.

The US Department of Energy (DoE) announced the eligble topics for the FY 2014 SBIR and STTR funding. There are two topics involving OLED lighting efficiency. The first is the development of OLED materials and structures that will lead to the production and commercialization of a highly efficient, stable white OLED device. The DOE specifically mentions the development of highly efficient, blue emitter materials and hosts.

The second topic is the development of methods of manufacturing either OLED pixels or panels or devices. The DoE is also interested in system level integration solutions that would accelerate OLED devices into niche markets. If you want to apply, you will have to send the application by October 15. The DoE will formally announce the opportunities on August 12.

Manz AG reported that the company received its first large order from a Chinese customer for wet-chemical processing equipment to produce OLED displays . This 9 million Euro order (almost $12 million usd) follows several small purchases.

Manz's wet-chemical tools aren't used specifically for soluble OLEDs. These do not handle the organic layers, but are rather used for processes such as etching, stripping, and cleaning within the scope of display manufacturing. Their product range also includes wet chemical processing equipment for glass substrate recycling (the complete removal of all layers so the substrate can be recycled back into the production process).

The US PTO published a new patent from Apple (filed in 2012) that describes how to use sensors to compensate for ambient lighting (see DisplayMate's related recent article) and lifetime brightness degradation in OLED displays. The patent describes that photo-diodes can be placed inside the OLED array or above and below it.

Putting photo-diodes inside the display will enable them to more accurately measure light levels. So if a part of the screen is dimmer than the rest of the screen (for example because only a part of the display is under direct light) - the photodiode will detect it and then the display brightness in that area can be increased. This is something that cannot be achieved with a single sensor. Those photodiodes can also be used to learn whether certain OLED pixels (or pixel groups) have lowered brightness due to aging. Then the display can compensate and drive these pixels higher.

Visionox sent us two interesting updates. First of all, the company started the construction of a new 5.5-Gen AMOLED mass production line. Visionox says that according to current plans they expect to start production in the 2nd half of 2014. We do not have more details about this line and the AMOLED panels they plan to produce in it.

In addition, Visionox developed a new 3.5" monochrome flexible AMOLED. The panel has a maximum bending radius of 10 mm. Visionox says they use thin-film encapsulation for this panel.

China's BOE Display announced plans to raise 4.6 billion yuan (about $7.5 billion US) to build three new panel production lines two LCD lines and the AMOLED line in Ordos. BOE will issue new shares and hopes to attract local government owned companies as investors.

BOE Ordos 5.5-Gen AMOLED fab

BOE plans to inaugurate the 5.5-Gen LTPS fab in Ordos by the end of 2013. This fab will first produce LTPS LCDs, but BOE wants to switch it to AMOLED production. Perhaps this new investment will go towards the AMOLED conversion. According to earlier reports, the fab cost is estimated at $3.44 billion.

LG Display has installed the first equipment in their new M2 Gen-8 OLED TV fab. The company is still on track to start production in middle 2014. The new fab will have a monthly capacity of 26,000 substrate, and LGD's total investment will be around $650 million. The number of actual TV panels they will make is unknown as it depends on yield and on panel size.

LG are currently producing flat and curved OLED TV panels. The flat OLED TV is on sale in Korea for $10,000 and the UK, while the curved 55" OLED TV, the 55EA9800, is now available in Korea for around $13,500 and in the US - exclusively through Magnolia stores inside Best Buy for $14,999.

In June LG Chem announced that all its OLED panels now have a CRI of over 90. CRI determines a light source ability to reproduce colors on which the light shines, and a high CRI means a "high light source quality". Today they released a nice video explaining why is it important to have a high CRI and restating the company's commitment to OLEDs:

LG Chem says taht CRI and efficiency are trade-off factors, but LG Chem managed to maintain high panel efficiency (60 lm/W), color temperatures between 3000K and 4000K and lifetime at 20,000 hours.