AU Optronics - Page 17

DisplaySearch has released a new report (small/medium TFT LCD and AMOLED product roadmap). They give an interesting chart showing AMOLED roadmap from all players:

 
 

There is a lot of interesting information in there:

Digitimes reports that AUO will base its OLED production on a-Si technology. AUO estimates it will enter mass production in 2011.

CT Liu, vice-president and general manager of consumer product display business group of AUO indicated that AUO is going to start developing OLED again in the fourth quarter of this year and concentrate on commercializing small-sized panels.

Digitimes reports that Nokia has decided that the capability to make AMOLEDs is a condition for the selection of its panel suppliers. Nokia expects AMOLED to play a major role in the market in the future.

Nokia already has OLED displays in a couple of high-end products (the 8800 Art, the 7900 Prism and the 6600). The AMOLED displays are so beautiful that they really make an impact (maybe Nokia also read C|Net's review of the iRiver SPINN)

AU Optronics (AUO) and TPO Display, two panel suppliers for Nokia, are gearing up the development of AMOLED applications, the sources indicated.

TPO said it has a team that has been developing AMOLED, and the company also runs a small test line for the segment. But for volume production to start in the future when its technologies mature, TPO will have to install more equipment, the company added.

Read more here (digitimes)

Digitimes reports that AUO said that they are indeed considering re-opening their OLED production lines (as reported a month ago, here in OLED-Info). HB Chen, vice-Chairman and CEO of AUO said that although AUO will not re-open the production line in 2008, the company will showcase its AMOLED developments in Yokohama, Japan in October this year.

AUO already has the equipment and technologies to mass-produce small-size OLED panels, but will continue to observe the market before moving to develop large-size panels, Chen noted.

Read more here (digitimes) 

I have just learned from AUO that they have resumed their OLED operation in January 2008. As you may recall, in 2007 AUO stopped their OLED production, and relocated all OLED engineers to their LCD business. AUO has done a lot of research into AMOLEDs in the past years, and the first AMOLED phone (the BenQ S88) used their 2" AMOLED display.

AUO used UDC's PHOLED materials, and I understand that they are likely to still use PHOLEDs in the new OLEDs.

DisplaySearch revealed in its latest Quarterly OLED Shipment and Forecast Report that OLED shipments grew to 16.1M and revenues hit $112.0M in Q2'06. Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED) displays compete with LCDs in small/medium applications such as mobile phone main displays and subdisplays, MP3s and automotive consoles. OLED shipments increased 44% Q/Q due to 48% increase in subdisplays and a 36% growth in MP3 player sales. PMOLEDs continue to dominate the market with a revenue share of over 98%. There are 23 small molecule and 2 P-OLED producers with small molecule having a 97% revenue share.

LG jumped past Samsung SDI and RiTdisplay and led in units and revenue in Q2'06 with 3.6M displays and $27.5 in revenue. Samsung SDI was #2 in both shipments and revenue, and Pioneer moved up to #3. Recovering from a very poor Q1'06, Univision was #4 in revenue, up 361%, and RiTdisplay fell to #5.

Other news include:

• Ness Display (Singapore) closed its doors after producing 190K displays, as the company ran out of funds due to the combination of poor yields on color and the continuing reduction in ASPs. Varitronix (Hong Kong) was a major investor, and it is unclear whether they intend to take over the assets.


• Teco (Taiwan) is moving their Fab from Taiwan to China and has stopped production.


• Opto Tech (Taiwan) is attempting to find a buyer or an investor and has stopped production.


• After reaching volumes of over 700K panels/quarter, Lightronix (Taiwan) was down to 30-40K.


• AMOLED producers continue to struggle with LTPS yields, causing AUO and Chi Mei to reduce their staffing levels until the problems are resolved. Samsung SDI continues to forecast AMOLED production for Q4'06.

Read more here

Taiwan's AU Optronics has decided to re-orient its active-matrix (AM) organic light-emitting diode (OLED) engineers to a focus on developing TFT LCD.

Starting from the third quarter, the engineers have been relocated to support divisions for LCD developments.

Ron Mertens from OLED-Info.com recently had the opportunity to interview Janice Mahon, Universal Display's VP of technology commercialization.

Janice, could you give a small introduction about UDC, and about your PHOLED products?

Universal Display Corporation (NASDAQ: PANL) is a world leader in the development of innovative OLED technology for use in flat panel displays, lighting and other opto-electronics applications. Founded in 1994, Universal Display provides state-of-the-art OLED technology and services to OLED manufacturers to enhance their products' features and competitive advantage. We have developed proprietary OLED technologies and materials that should provide dramatically enhanced display performance at lower costs than today's liquid crystal displays.

Universal Display Corporation announced today that the Company has entered into an agreement with AU Optronics, to supply the Company's proprietary PHOLED(TM) phosphorescent OLED material for use in an active matrix OLED product.

Universal Display's proprietary PHOLED technology offers up to four times higher efficiency than conventional OLED technology - a feature that is very important for today's battery-operated cell phones and other portable devices, as well as for tomorrow's large-area TVs and solid-state lighting products. Over the past few years, the Company has announced a series of record-breaking performance milestones for its red, green and blue PHOLED systems. The Company's PHOLED materials, manufactured by PPG Industries exclusively for Universal Display, are currently being evaluated and used in commercial production by a number of electronics manufacturers.