ARM has presented their "Mobile Client 2010" reference design. Their new chip is the Cortex-A9 dual core CPU - these can be fast - up to 2Ghz, although for a mobile device this will probably be slower. It's not clear yet whether these chips will be ready for production in 2010.
The design also includes the ARM mali 400MP GPU and the screen of choice is a WVGA AMOLED.
Universal Display (FDC) and the Flexible Display Center (FDC) at Arizona State University announced that they have strengthened their collaboration to extend to the joint fabrication of prototype active-matrix PHOLEDs on flexible plastic substrates for the U.S. Department of Army. In addition, Universal Display announced that the company has been awarded a $650,000 U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II Enhancement contract to support this work.
UDC and the FDC believe that the enhanced relationship will accelerate the demonstration of the flexible AMOLEDs. Earlier in 2009, they have already demonstrated a 4.1" monochrome QVGA PHOLED display.
As part of this strategic relationship, Universal Display and the FDC will work to demonstrate flexible OLED display prototypes with enhanced performance for the U.S. Army. The FDC will fabricate a-Si:H thin-film transistor (TFT) arrays on flexible plastic substrates using their low-temperature backplane and proprietary bond-debond manufacturing technologies. Universal Display will then use its UniversalPHOLED materials and technology to build full-color AMOLED displays
For prototypes to be delivered under the U.S. Army SBIR Phase II Enhancement Program, Universal Display will also use its proprietary encapsulation film technology to create permeation barriers on the substrate and on top of the OLED to prevent harmful moisture and oxygen from reaching the OLED device.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) is developing a new cost-efficient process for applying conductor paths to OLEDs. The new process also makes homogeneous luminosity for the OLED panels, thanks to micro-scale conductor paths.
When you make OLEDs, you apply metallic conductor paths to the anode layer (ITO - Indium Tin Oxide - or similar materials). The size of these conductor paths plays an important role here: if they are too wide the paths can affect the luminous homogeneity of the light source. Today the metallic conductor material has been applied to the OLED surface using a vacuum sputter process which is energy intensive, has up to 90% material loss and is expensive. It is also not environmental friendly as it uses metals that has to be disposed of after use. The conduct paths are wide, and so disrupt the homogeneous luminosity of the OLEDs.
The Fraunhofer ILT is now developing a laser technique to apply
micro-scale conductor paths for the industrial partner Philips. A mask
foil is placed on the surface of the conductor which represents the
negative to the conductor path geometry later required. This is then
covered by a donor foil whose material will constitute the conductor
path, for example aluminum or copper. The assembly is fixed in place
and hit with laser radiation traveling at a speed of up to 2.5 m/s
along the mask geometry. A mixture of melt drops and vapor forms, which
is transferred from the donor foil to the substrate. The solidified
mixture produces the conductor path, whose geometry is determined by
the mask. As the process takes place in the ambient atmosphere an
expensive process chamber is not required. There is no material loss
because the residual material of the donor foil can be re-used.
The Florida Energy Systems Consortium (a state-funded effort to bring together researchers from 11 universities to work on renewable energy technology development) is developing a new Solar Cell + OLED + Battery Module. They are using organic solar cells on top of an OLED Lighting panel. The solar-cell is charging lithium-ion batteries which are used to power the OLEDs at night.
The idea is that all 3 components use direct current, and so an inverter is not needed, which makes the whole package cheaper.
DuPont announced that it has been awarded a $2.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a two-year project to develop OLED lighting solution-processing manufacturing techniques. DuPont says that Solution-processing is a cost-effective technique for the manufacture of OLEDs due to its lower capital investment, reduced fixed costs and efficient use of materials.
DuPont will use their experience in OLED for displays and adapt their technology for OLED Lighting.
eMagin announced today that they have been awarded a 2 year, $6 million program by the US Army to develop ultra-high resolution (1920x1200) OLED microdisplays. The project was awarded by the US Army Medical Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC), and the aim is to create a 3D-capable display system for advanced medical training systems.
The WUXGA (Widescreen Ultra eXtended Graphics Array) microdisplay is being designed to be sized less than one-inch diagonal with over 7 million pixels at a 9.6 micron color pixel pitch. The program also involves the design of optics for a wide field-of-view between 60 and 80 degrees. The culmination of this program is expected to provide a prototype of an ultra-high resolution display system suitable for several applications within Army medicine and military simulation and training, as well as for broad military and commercial uses.
Other participants in the program include Rockwell Collins and Columbia University.
Several Korean firms (including Samsung and LG) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to join hands in developing equipment to manufacture large-size AMOLED displays (i.e. OLED TV panels) . Korea wants to get a top-position in OLED displays and lighting, and the firms committed to further investments in these fields.
Under the MOU, the companies (Samsung Mobile Displays, LG Display and other companies) will co-develop and mass-produce vapor deposition equipment for AMOLED panel production. Korea wants to not only use Korean-made equipment in their own OLED plants, but also to become an exporter or such equipment (currently most of this equipment comes from Japan).
Casio Computer wand Toppan Printing will form a new joint-venture to develop and produce OLED displays. The new JV, which will begin in February next year, will combine Casio's display production technology with Toppan Printing fabrication technology.
Casio will set up the firm with around 600 employees (from Casio's OLED development team and LCD production unit), and will later sell a 80% stake in the firm to Toppan Printing.
4D Systems have recently released a new and improved range of custom graphics processors and display modules:
More information can be found over at 4DS' web site
The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) in Korea has displayed 13 pieces of OLED lighting - some hese were the winners in an OLED lighting design contest, and some were designed by InnoDesign (from Korea):
The lighting panels were co-developed by ETRI and Samsung Mobile Displays (SMD). The have 20,000 lifetime and are as bright as fluorescent lamps (and consume less than half the power). There were different sized panels shown, including 180x180mm and 150x150mm.
