Tianma was showing two AMOLED prototypes at SID: a 3.2" (320x480) and a 12.1" (1280x800). Those are direct-emission (side-by-side) panels built on an LTPS substrate, and they were looking rather good. These seem to be the same panels demonstrated in FPD china earlier this year.
The panels were produced at Tianma's pilot 4.5-Gen AMOLED fab in Shanghai. It was reported in 2010 that the pilot line's cost was $72 million (the Chinese government helped with $40 million in funding) and it is able to produce around 1,000 glass substrates in a month.
Tianma's current plan is to first focus on LTPS LCD production. They hope to achieve mass production in 2013. Only then they will start adapting the process for OLED production, and currently they hope to start AMOLED mass production in 2014.
 |  |
Another option that Tianma is considering is to start low-volume OLED production in the pilot line in Shanghai in the very near future. I'm guessing this will be very low-volume, probably even less that CMI's 15,000 4" panels per month. But I know that many device makers are looking for AMOLED panels in low volume, so this may be a good solution for them.
 |  |
