LTPS - Page 11

Update: according to new reports, the OLED-A was wrong and Samsung are still using a Shadow-Mask to fabricate Super AMOLED HD displays

The OLED Association published a very interesting paper discussing Samsung's and LG Display's efforts to scale OLED production to large size panels (specifically 55" OLED TVs). In the article, they say that Samsung will use an LTPS substrate with a SMS (Small Mask Scanning) method, while LGD plans to use an Oxide TFT and Kodak's White OLED with color filters architecture. We already reported about Samsung's SMS method a few weeks ago.

The article includes a very interesting comparison of the different deposition methods (FMM, LITI, SMS, Printing and LG's RGBW). They also claim that the new display in the Samsung Galaxy II LTE HD was produced using LITI.

According to a new DisplayBank report, Wintek will join-forces with Shanghai Tianma on AMOLED touch panels. Both companies are planning to build AMOLED fabs, with Tianma's fab already under way in Fujian, China (it's a 5.5-Gen LTPS AMOLED fab that is scheduled to go online in 2012 and produce 30,000 substrates a month). Wintek plans to build a 5.5-Gen plant of its own in Taiwan. Wintek's OLEDs will use their Advanced Technology Touch (ATT) technology. Mass production at Wintek's plant will begin in 2013.

It's not clear what sort of collaboration these two companies are planning - but perhaps the idea is for Tianma to provide the AMOLED production technology and know-how and Wintek will provide the touch technology (ATT) and expertise.

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. 

We've got some interesting updates regarding Chimei Innolux (CMI) OLED program. As a reminder, CMI was born as a merger between Innolux, CMO and TPO. Both CMO (through its CMEL subsidiary) and TPO had active OLED programs, and CMEL were even producing panels up until the merger. CMI's own OLED plans are still unclear.

Back in February 2011 we reported that CMI indeed plans to start producing OLEDs in two plants - a Gen-3.5 (620x750mm) LTPS/OLED Plant in Jhunan, Taiwan and a Gen-5.5 (1,300x1,500) IGZO-TFT plant in Tainan (also in Taiwan). Later on there were reports that CMI actually scrapped all OLED plans for now. But in March the company unveiled a couple of new AMOLED prototypes (3.2" and 3.5", shown above).

Toshiba Mobile Display developed a 7" LTPS TFT LCD panel that has an integrated in-cell touch panel. The new LCD is only 1mm thick (about 57% thinner than a LCD with an external touch panel) and weights only 225 grams (48% less than an external-touch LCD). The integrated touch panel also reduces the surface reflection ratio by about 10%. This is basically the same technology that Samsung uses in their Super AMOLED displays.

We don't know when TMDisplay plans to actually produce such panels. They will show this technology next month at SID 2011.

TCZ (a division of Cymer) announced a volume order for its TCZ-1500B, a new Gen-5.5 laser crystallization system, that can be used for LTPS LCD or OLED production. This order was received from a 'leading Asian flat panel manufacturer' - and is TCZ's fourth tool customer. The TCZ-1500B uses TCZ's patented laser crystallization technology (announced in May 2010).

We're still not sure whether Chimei Innolux (CMI) is producing AMOLED panels or not - but according to Digitimes the company is showing AMOLED panels at FPD China 2011. This seems to be a good sign.

According to their financial presentation, CMI has two OLED plants planned (A Gen-3.5 LTPS in Jhunan and a Gen-5.5 IGZO-TFT fab in Tainan).

Applied Materials announced a new system for LTPS deposition - used to make AMOLED and LCD displays. The AKT-20K PX PECVD system deposits highly-uniform films on 1.95m² glass sheets that are three times larger than the previous standard size. Applied says that these systems can be used to create 7" to 12" AMOLED displays and enable better resolution panels.

Applied says that they already shipped over 100 LTPS deposition systems worldwide and this new system is the result of 10 year of experience in LTPS technology and has already been shipped to major display manufacturers.

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?).