WRGB - Page 14

We haven't heard much from MicroOLED since 2009 (when they planned to release their first product towards the end of the year). Two years later - and it seems that the company is finally ready for mass production. The company reports they received orders for over 10,000 OLED microdisplays - and shipments will begin in a couple of months. The first product will be a 9.6mm 800x480 (WVGA) OLED microdisplay that uses white SM-OLEDs and RGBB color filters. Power consumption is 25mW for 60Hz video at 150cd/m².

MicroOLED OLED microdisplay

MicroOLED says that their first microdisplays will be used in a professional security product and in "sport optics" products (for example electronic binoculars for bird watching). MicroOLED is also developing their second product which will sport SVGA resolution (1280x1024). They say that the current production line has a yearly capacity of 300,000 units.

According to reports both Samsung and LG Display plan to introduce 55" OLED TVs at CES 2012 (January 10). This is not surprising as this was announced before. According to the new reports, both companies want to introduce the products before the 2012 Olympics (which is a big event towards which many consumers buy a new TV) - which means we can expect those OLED TVs shipping at around July 2012.

LG OLED TV prototype

The same reports re-iterates the old rumors regarding an Apple OLED TV. I'm still skeptical on this because in 2012 OLED TV capacity will be low (LG for example says it will be able to produce around 30,000 panels per month) - not enough for Apple. Samsung will also be producing their large panels in a pilot line and will not be able to mass produce these panels.

Update: it turns out that the ECX332A is the same microdisplay used in Sony's HMZ-T1 HMD...

Sony released a new OLED microdisplay today, the 0.7" ECX332A which offers 1280x720 (720p) resolution. This microdisplay is aimed towards electronic viewfinder (EVF) applications and offers 97% NSTC color gamut, 0.01ms response time and 200 cd/m2 brightness. The ECX332A employs the same white OLED and color-filters architecture as Sony's 0.5" XGA ECX331A (the one used in the A77 and A65 DSLRs and the NEX-7 and NEX-5N mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras).

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.

There's an interesting report that both Samsung and LG have recently produced prototype 55" OLED TV panels. These panels will be unveiled in the FPD International 2011 exhibition in Japan next month.

According to the report, Samsung has produced the 55" panel in their 5.5-Gen line using Small Mask Scanning technology (SMS, which replaces Fine Metal Mask, or FMM). As was previously reported, LG is using white OLED with color filters to produce their large panels. Both companies are satisfied with the panels' quality, power consumption and lifetime.

Sony announced their 0.5" XGA (1024x768) OLED microdisplay - as used in four new cameras. It turns out that Sony is producing this OLED display on their own. The cameras that use this displays are the A77 and A65 DSLRs and the NEX-7 and NEX-5N mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras (the NEX-5N doesn't come with the viewfinder, but you'll be able to buy it for $350).

To create those small pixels, Sony used a new design that uses white OLEDs and color filters. Sony also uses in-built D/A converters and driver electronics to create a small footprint.

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).

Update: We have some info and a new photo of Toshiba's flexible OLED prototype. See below.

Toshiba is showing an ultra thin (0.1mm) 3" flexible OLED panel prototype (160x120) that weights just one gram. The OLED is built using an oxide semiconductor TFT (IGZO) unto a plastic substrate. Toshiba says that they will be able to start producing displays based on this production method by 2014 or 2015.

Toshiba's OLED uses white OLED material with color filters. The architecture is bottom-emission. Toshiba says that the managed to lower the process temperature to 200°C, and so were able to use the plastic substrate.

Last week we reported that Chimei Innolux are showing AMOLED panels at FPD China 2011 (which is good news as we're still not sure whether Chimei Innolux (CMI) is producing AMOLED panels or not). We now have more information on those panels. There are two panels on show: a 3.2" (320x480) and a 3.5" (360x64).

CMI are calling those displays TrueOLED, but apparantly they use a white-OLED with color filters design. This is the same method that was developed by Kodak (and now LG owns that technology). This includes a white subpixel (with no filter) to enhance brightness. Other features of those panels: 300cd/m²brightness, 30,000:1 contrast ratio, 160° viewing angles and 100% color gamut for the 3.2" panel (87% for the 3.5" one).

Last week we reported about LG Display's pilot 8-Gen OLED TV line, but we didn't have all the details (the original text was in Korean). Now we got a good translation and new info. According to the report, LGD has indeed begun to build the 8-Gen line and is currently installing equipment. Production is scheduled by the end of 2011. The OLED TV line is built in Paju in the same building as LG's 4.5-Gen fab that has started to manufacture AMOLEDs last month.

LG's 8-Gen line will produce 2,200 x 2,500 mm glass substrates which will be cut in two. The monthly capacity will be 24,000 substrates, or 72,000 55" OLED TV panels (although LG also plans to produce 31" panels later on). This of course assumes 100% yield - but the actual yield at first will be much lower.