Universal Display Corporation (UDC) - Page 27

Universal Display (UDC) was showing a couple of OLED lighting panels at CES. These are the same ones the showed at SID this year (and later UDC designed some nice desk lamps using them):

The panels are 6" in size and only 1/8 inch thick.

Universal Display and LG Display have renewed their commercial supply agreement. The current agreement will run for 6 months, until June 30, 2011. This is more of an extension than a real new agreement. UDC also extended their license with Samsung a few weeks ago.

The original agreement between UDC and LG Display (LG.Philips back then) was signed on May 2007. LG is using UDC's PHOLED materials in AMOLED displays, and pay them for the chemical sales and a license fee.

Universal Display and Samsung announced another extension (till March 31, 2011) to their license agreement (that was announced back in 2005). Samsung will continue to use UDC's PHOLED materials (red, and soon green) in their AMOLED products.

The original agreement expired a while back and it seems that the two companies aren't able to negotiate a new agreement yet - so they keep extending the existing agreement (that's the third three month extension already).

We've got some more information about AUO's OLED Lighting panels (unveiled at the FPD 2010 exhibition). AUO is showing two panels. The first is a large (245x295mm active size, the module measure 314x333mm) and thin (1.6mm) with 50lm/W efficiency. The color temperature is 3,000K, the luminance is 1500cd/m² and the color rendering index (CRI) is over 80.

The OLED is made from both phosphorescent and fluorescent materials. This probably means that they use phosphorescent Red and Green and fluorescent Blue. Back in 2006, AUO used Universal Display's PHOLED materials for their AMOLED displays, so it's pretty safe to assume that UDC is also providing materials and/or IP for AUO lighting panels.

AU Optronics is showing a 14" 3D (active-shutter) AMOLED TV with a full-HD (1920x1080) resolution in 3D or 2D mode. Back in October 2009, AUO showed 14" AMOLED prototypes, it's not clear whether the same display with 3D support, or is that an altogether new panel.

AUO is also showing OLED lighting panels. AUO's panel offer 50 lumens/watt efficiency and comes with an embedded high-efficiency green power drive. Last month we reported that AUO might be developing OLED Lighting panels, so it's good to see that this is true. Back in 2006, AUO was using Universal Display's PHOLED materials for AMOLED displays, but we do not know whether they are using them now for the lighting panels.

Universal Display posted their financial results for 3Q 2010. The company reported $7 million in revenues (up from $5.1 million in 3Q 2009). Commercial revenues (chemical sales, license and royalties) was $2.8 million(up from $1.6 million in 3Q 2009). Net loss was $7.18 million. UDC still has over $65 million in cash and short-term investments.

Plextronics announced today that its Plexcore OC NQ ink is now available - for limited sampling. During 2011 Plextronics will accelerate production. The new non-aqueous-based Hole Injection Layer (HIL) ink is geared specifically for solution processible phosphorescent OLED emitters, and Plextronics expects to introduce ink-jet printable inks for limited sampling early in 2011.

Plextronics also say that UDC was using their OC NQ ink in their new P2OLED solution-processed phosphorescent OLED technology (reported on October 13). Plextronics was the HIL provider, and its OC NQ ink helped UDC to achieve a lower operating voltage and a boost in lifetime over previously disclosed results.

Universal Display and Acuity Brands has won a $2 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III Xlerator grant to develop an energy-efficient and color-tunable phosphorescent OLED lighting system. The objective is to accelerate market introduction of OLED lighting (for high-end commercial and institutional applications).

Acuity Brands Lighting will design and fabricate general-purpose lighting system prototypes, targeted for high-end commercial spaces, including office, retail and health-care buildings. The light system will take advantage of the OLED panel thin form factor and quality of light.

Universal Display and Samsung announced another extension (till December 31, 2010) to their license agreement (that was announced back in 2005). Samsung will continue to use UDC's PHOLED materials (red, and soon green) in their AMOLED products.

The original agreement expired and the companies are still negotiating a new agreement - and in the mean time they keep extending the existing agreement.

Back in January we reported the UDC and Moser Baer will build an OLED Lighting pilot production line, based around Universal Display's PH-OLED technology. $8.3 million was awarded by the DOE for this project (UDC will receive $4 million out of it). The first pilot line (out of two) will begin operation in 2011.

Prototype OLED lamps by UDC

Today we have some new information about this interesting project. The entire investment will be $20 million, with Moser Baer Technologies (the US division of Moser Baer) investing $11.5 million to purchase production equipment. The pilot line will be built in Canandaigua, New York at the Smart System Technology & Commercialization Center (or STC) in the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering's (CNSE). STC is in charge of building the cleanroom space for the pilot lines.