AU Optronics - Page 14

AUO originally planned to start producing AMOLEDs in their Taiwanese Gen-3.5 fab in Q2 2011. A few weeks ago their CEO admitted that they still have some technical issues to solve, and today we have more information. It appears that AUO is still struggling with the vacuum evaporation deposition of the organic layers, and will have to delay production - probably to Q3 or (more likely) to Q4 2011.

AUO 14-inch OLED prototype

AUO is still installing equipment in their Gen-4.5 fab in Singapore (converting a production line from LTPS LCD to LTPS AMOLED). They have decided to adopt half-size Gen-4.5, because of the same deposition issues. Production in that larger plant is scheduled for Q3 2012. 

AUO is still on track to start producing AMOLED displays soon, but the company's chairman KY Lee said today that they are still need to reduce the material cost and improve the efficiency of thier panels.

AUO now lists their first AMOLED product, a 3.5" display for mobile devices. The display features 360x640 resolution (0.12mm pixel pitch), 300 cd/m² brightness, 10,000:1 contrast ratio and MIPI/CPU /RGB interfaces.

AUO has been making AMOLED before, actually, in 2006 but stopped in 2008, and now they are building a new AMOLED fab - a Gen-3.5 line in Taiwan that will have a monthly capacity of 7,000 substrates. AUO is also converting its Gen-4.5 LTPS line in Singapore to AMOLED production (this will have a monthly capacity of 45,000 sheets).

AUO will invest $25 million in their Singapore subsidiary, AFPD. The money will be used to purchase equipment for ramping up its AMOLED capacity in their 4.5-Gen LTPS fab. The fab will have a monthly capacity of 45,000 substrates.

AUO's 2nd AMOLED plant, their 3.5-Gen line in Taiwan will begin production in 2Q 2011 (with a monthly capacity of 7,000 substrates).

Update: According to a different report, which makes more sense, Sintek will only supply touch-panels for Samsung AMOLEDs, and will not produce actual AMOLED displays. Sintek will indeed setup a Gen-5.5 plant to produce the touch panels. Update 2 - Digitimes posted a new story correcting their earlier report.

According to Digitimes, Sintek Photronics will supply touch panels for Samsung Mobile Display to be used in AMOLED panels. Digitimes also say that Sintek will setup a new Gen-5.5 LTPS line (scheduled to start production in Q4 2011) to supply backplanes for Samsung. The new plant will produce 50,000 monthly substrates. This will grow to 80,000 later.

According to the article, Samsung will start AMOLED production in their own Gen-5.5 only in Q2 2012. This is strange as we know that Samsung will start production during 2011. In their post, Digitimes also say that LG Display will start production in Q1 2012 (according to our sources, LG already started production). It seems that Digitimes thinks that all AMOLED plants will be delayed by one year (or maybe this is simply a mistake by Digitimes?).

Digitimes reports that AUO is still in the process of installing equipment in their 3.5-Gen AMOLED production line, which is scheduled to start mass production in the second half of 2011 (which seems to be a delay as originaly AUO said production will start in 2Q 2011).

Yearly capacity will be 70 million displays a year (the plant can make 20K 680x880mm substrates a month).

Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has approved subsidies totaling NT$600 million ($20 million) - which will go into two projects, one of them being AUO's AMOLED project.

AUO 14-inch OLED prototype

AUO are gearing up towards AMOLED mass production in Q2 2011, and they plan to produce small- and medium-size displays using 3.5-Gen and 4.5-Gen lines. AUO are also working towards flexible AMOLED displays. We're not sure which project is being subsidized by this grant.

The Flexible Display Center (FDC) at Arizona State University and AU-Optronics will co-develop mixed oxide thin film transistors (TFTs) for flexible AMOLED displays. AUO and the FDC will work in active partnership with dedicated engineering teams to advance mixed oxide transistor technology and the handling capabilities of conventional flat panel display (FPD) manufacturing processes to accommodate the thin, plastic substrates used for AMOLED flexible displays. Mixed oxide TFTs offer a better ability to drive currents and improve the lifetime and stability of transistors used for OLED displays.

Flexible AMOLED by ITRI

AUO is also working towards flexible displays together with Taiwan's ITRI. AUO plans to start mass producing AMOLED displays in Q2 2011 (but these will not be flexible...).

We've got some more information about AUO's OLED Lighting panels (unveiled at the FPD 2010 exhibition). AUO is showing two panels. The first is a large (245x295mm active size, the module measure 314x333mm) and thin (1.6mm) with 50lm/W efficiency. The color temperature is 3,000K, the luminance is 1500cd/m² and the color rendering index (CRI) is over 80.

The OLED is made from both phosphorescent and fluorescent materials. This probably means that they use phosphorescent Red and Green and fluorescent Blue. Back in 2006, AUO used Universal Display's PHOLED materials for their AMOLED displays, so it's pretty safe to assume that UDC is also providing materials and/or IP for AUO lighting panels.

AUO started to install equipment in its upcoming AMOLED production line, and they expect to begin mass production in 2Q 2011.

AUO 14-inch OLED prototype

AUO announced that they will begin installing equipment in 3Q 2010 back in March. AUO plans to produce small- to medium-size displays