OLED production

CMO and TPO acquired by Innolux

oled — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:20:36 -0500

Taiwan's Innolux has acquired two companies that had OLED programs: TPO and CMO. This is a 3-way-merger that is supposed to take place in May 2010, and the new company will be called Chimei Innolux.

This is interesting news, and we do not know yet what will happen to the OLED programs of the two companies. The two companies had problems in their OLED subsidiaries (technical and financial) so this might be a good thing as they can now work together to solve the technical issues. Hopefully Innolux will not decide to simply give up on OLEDs...

CMEL (CMO's OLED subsidiary) has bee making OLED panels for quite some time. They offer the largest OLED panel available (7.6") which is being used by a few high-end products, such as Kodak's digital-photo frame. There were some rumors that CMEL are working at only 40% of their capacity, because of financial problems at CMO. These problems are now over with the merger, hopefully.

TPO hasn't yet started to mass-produce OLEDs, and were facing some technical problems, that caused some delays. They are currently developing 3"-4" panels for mobile phones and cameras. They had plans to start producing the 3" panels this year, but we're not sure if they have actually begun. It was reported that TPO will supply Nokia with these AMOLEDs.

LG creates a new company to handle all OLED patents and technologies

oled — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:12:02 -0500

LG Group has decided to create a new company that will handle all OLED patents and technology. It will be financed by LG Electronics, LG Display and LG Chem. The company will be created soon (hopefully before the end of 2009), and will probably be called LG OLED.

LG 15-inch OLED TVs

The new company will acquire all of Kodak's OLED patents, and will manage license contracts owned by Kodak.

LG Display is producing OLED panels (currently small/medium ones, up to 15", and has plans to start making large-sized OLED TV soon). LG Electronics is already selling OLED phones, and also the 15" OLED TV in Korea. LG Chem are working towards OLED Lighting, with plans to start producing panels in 2010.

Via KoreaTimes

PolyPhotonix demos an OLED dress

oled — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:21:54 -0500

UPDATE: it turns out that this is not an OLED dress at all! It is using EL panels, made by Elumin8 back in 2005. Here's more information...

UK's PolyPhotonix is showing an 'OLED Dress', designed by Gareth Pugh. The dress was exhibited at the launch of the UK's "Plastic Electronics Strategy' (the $32 million investment in plastic-electronics announced in July). The UK announced that by September 2010, they will begin prototype production of flexible OLED Lighting panels and low-cost long-life solar cells.

PolyPhotonix OLED dress

PolyPhotonix are working toward polymer-based OLED Lighting panels. Their first production line is already active (that's where they made the OLED panels for the dress).

Via Photonics.com

OSRAM releases their first OLED Lighting panel, the ORBEOS

oled — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:05:07 -0500

OSRAM Opto Semiconductors has released their first OLED Lighting product, called the ORBEOS. It has a round surface (88mm diameter), is only 2.1mm thick and weights 24g. The efficiency is 25lm/W. The panels are actually available now via OSRAM's site (here's the link to order one in the UK, if you have 220GBP to spare).

OSRAM ORBEUS OLED Lighting panel

The temperature is warm white color (2,800K, CRI up to 80) like an incandescent lamp. The panel can be switched on and off without delay, and is continuously dimmable. It emits no UV or infrared radiation, and does not contain mercury. Its brightness level is usually 1,000cd/m² with power input of less than a watt. In ideal operating conditions it has a lifespan of around 5,000 hours. ORBEOS is available with a frosted glass surface.

The Fraunhofer institute plans to set up a roll-to-roll OLED fabrication line

oled — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:28:43 -0500

The Fraunhofer IPMS announced plans to set up roll-to-roll OLED equipment for 30cm-wide metal foil substrate in December. The new equipment will allow films to be formed continuously. The institute does not have any encapsulation equipment yet.

Via OLEDNet

Samsung increasing AMOLED production, expects to sell around 10 million AMOLED phones in 2009

oled — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:45:36 -0500

Samsung (SMD) have recently added one 3.5G (730x460mm) AMOLED vapor-deposition machine to its 3rd production line in Cheon-an. The new monthly capability is now 24K panels (when all 3 lines are combined). They also plan to buy two new 3.5G machines (which will double the production rate).

In related news, Samsung Electronics say they will sell around 10 million phones this year with AMOLEDs (that's around 5% of the total phones they plan to ship in 2009). SMD says that other mobile-phone makers are also increasing their orders for AMOLED panels.

Via OLEDNet

LG plans to make 40,000 30" OLED TVs a month by 2012

oled — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:03:48 -0500

SmartHouse say that LG are set to make 40,000 30" OLED TVs a month by 2012. We're not sure what's the source of this information, but we do know that LG plans to start making 30" OLED TV panels in 2011.

LG 15-inch OLED TVs

LG Display to mass produce 4.3" and 2.7" AMOLEDs in 1H 2010

oled — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:44:57 -0500

OLEDNet reports that LG Display is showing two new small OLED panels:

4.3" for mobile phones with image-improvement technology
2.7" for digital cameras.

LG Display plans to start mass producing these two displays in the second half of 2010.

Samsung is considering a new 5.5th-generation OLED line for 30" TVs

oled — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:01:22 -0500

Samsung Mobile Display is considering a new OLED line in Tangjeong (South-Chungcheong Province, Korea). The new line will be using 5.5th-generation technology for 30" OLED TVs. Total investment will be 1.5 trillion Won ($1.3 billion), although SMD says that the investment size will be decided by demand from clients such Samsung Electronics, Sony and Sharp.

The 5.5th generation technology will make OLED panels sized 1320mm x 1500mm.

SMD are currently making 20,000 4th generation OLED panels, and have around 90% market share.

Via Korea Times

Casio and Toppan Printing to co-develop OLED displays

oled — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:59:23 -0500

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 ther OLED development team and LCD production unit), and will later sell a 80% stake in the firm to Toppan Printing.

Via American Chronicle

UPDATE: we now have a bit more information. The new company will focus on small and medium size displays. The new company will continue the development and sale of high-performance, high-quality products using Casio's Hyper Amorphous Silicon TFT (HAST) technology. So it will not be just OLEDs but also LCDs. Casio also wants the company to get an early start of sales centering on Casio's existing customers.