Category Archives: Displays

August 9, 2012 — AIXTRON launched the PRODOS-200 PVPD system for deposition of organic thin film materials, used to make organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) displays, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and other manufacturing applications.

The system supports research on new deposition processes for polymer thin films and easy transfer to industrial processes with high deposition rates, high contour conformity of the deposited layers, and unrestricted scalability based on AIXTRON’s Close Coupled Showerhead technology.

AIXTRON expects adopters to develop new conductive and flexible layers, manipulate surface properties, and create flexible barrier layers, as well as improving today’s deposition processes and structures. The PRODOS line is designed to be modular and expandable for source materials in liquid, gaseous, or solid forms. It supports various PVPD processes, or all-dry processes, in which the carrier gas-based, gas phase deposition is used for the in-situ polymerization and layer formation of functional polymer thin films.

The tools accommodate substrates up to 200mm2. They can be integrated into cluster environments by means of relevant SEMI-compatible interfaces and are compatible with other AIXTRON systems, such as the OVPD* R&D line. The double-wall-chamber construction makes the system eases maintenance and enables fast modifications.

AIXTRON also recently announced that its BM II (2-inch) system is being used for research on depositing carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays for 3D devices, such as nano-antennas and nano-rectifiers by Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology (DGIST) in South Korea.

*OVPD technology has been exclusively licensed to AIXTRON from Universal Display Corporation (UDC) for equipment manufacture. OVPD technology is based on an invention by Professor Stephen R. Forrest et al. at Princeton University, which was exclusively licensed to UDC. AIXTRON and UDC have jointly developed and qualified OVPD pre-production equipment.

AIXTRON provides MOCVD production technologies for semiconductor devices, such as LEDs, lasers, transistors and solar cells. For further information on AIXTRON (FSE: AIXA, ISIN DE000A0WMPJ6, DE000A1MMEF7; NASDAQ: AIXG, ISIN US0096061041), see www.aixtron.com.

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August 7, 2012 — Brown University developed a simpler, cheaper, solution-based manufacturing process for indium tin oxide (ITO) conductive films used in displays and solar cell manufacturing.

Brown researchers, with support from ATMI Inc., reported the best-ever transparency and conductivity performance for an ITO made using a chemical solution.

  

Figure. Electron microscopy (cross-section, left, and facing view) shows an even distribution of indium titanium oxide nanocrystals essential for a highly conductive, transparent thin film. Credit: Sun Lab/Brown University.

The ITO offers high enough performance for applications in resistive touch screens, said Jonghun Lee, a Brown chemistry graduate student. The films allow 93% of light to pass through, deposited at 146nm thick. Their transparency is comparable to the glass substrate.

The team also made their films on top of bendable polyimide, showing that it could potentially be useful for making flexible display technologies.

To make the films, the team synthesized nanoscale ITO crystals in a solution. Then they made a flat and smooth film by spin casting the solution on a glass plate. Coated plates were then annealed for several hours (ideal anneal time was 6 hours) and then tested their transparency and conductivity.

The materials research was key to enable the simple spin-casting assembly method, said Shouheng Sun, professor of chemistry at Brown. The best chemicals turned out to be indium acetylacetonate and tin bis(acetylacetonate)dichloride. Researchers synthesized ITO nanocrystals that had a narrow range of sizes, about 11nm in diameter. That consistency meant that when the crystals arranged themselves in the thin films, they neither bunched together in clumps, nor stayed too far apart. The result was a dense but evenly distributed array of crystals, which promotes conductivity.

By varying the thickness and the tin content (between 5 and 10%), researchers varied the transparency and resistance for the best results. The key to a smooth, consistent film was the uniform size of ITO nanocrystals. The researchers settled on a diameter of around 11nm. “By controlling the concentration of the nanocrystal solution, we could control the thickness of the film from 30 to 140nm,” Lee said.

The team will now work on matching the conductivity performance of films made by sputtering, while maintaining the cost and process efficiency benefits of solution-based deposition, according to Melissa Petruska, senior scientist at ATMI.

In new experiments, the team plans to further drive down electrical resistance, to reduce the length of time the films need to anneal, and to lay down fine patterns of their films, rather than continuous sheets, using inkjet or roll-to-roll printing.

Results are published in a paper posted online Aug. 1 by the Journal of the American Chemical Society. In addition to Sun and Lee, the other Brown authors are Sunghwan Lee, Guanglai Li and David Paine. Petruska is a co-author on the paper. ATMI provided project funding and engineering assistance for the research.

Learn more at www.brown.edu.

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August 7, 2012 — Apple’s new iPad uses a 9.7” QXGA display, which is difficult to manufacture with existing thin-film transistor liquid-crystal display (TFT-LCD) processes, due to the high resolution and strict quality requirements. This may be causing Apple to adjust its display panel supplier mix or cut back production, according to a blog by David Hsieh, VP, Greater China market of DisplaySearch.

Hsieh reports that speculation is revolving around Apple’s production volumes for iPad panels, which he says is “likely a case of Apple and its suppliers trying to gain leverage on each other.”

Various theories have been floated as for why Apple would reduce iPad display panel production: increased Foxconn inventories, unsatisfactory cost-reduction plans at panel and component suppliers, saturation in the market, panel supplier mix changes due to the challenging manufacturing requirements, and potential new iPad models like the “mini.”

Hsieh suggests that — if Apple is actually cutting production — some capacity dedicated to iPad panel production would be released, increasing oversupply.

Some panel makers, like LG Display and Sharp are using advanced Gen-8 LCD fabs to produce tablet PC panels, DisplaySearch reports, and some are ramping up oxide TFT (OTFT) technology for iPad panel production. The high resolution and quality requirements for the new iPad panel, as well as the mix of TFT technologies being used (a-Si and oxide) could make Apple adjust the mix of panel suppliers. Apple’s preference is to use oxide in the panels for the new iPad, as this technology enables the use of smaller transistors in each pixel, allowing more light from the backlight to pass through. This allows for higher battery life or brightness, Hsieh said. Challenges in producing OTFT have limited its use. The degree to which those challenges can be mitigated in the short term may affect not only how widely oxide is used but also the bill of materials cost.

Other considerations, like panel prices, are covered in Hseih’s blog post, “Mixed Signals On iPad Panel Production,” at http://www.displaysearchblog.com/2012/07/mixed-signals-on-ipad-panel-production/.

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August 7, 2012 — Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are making inroads into displays, particularly small- to medium-sized units, and lighting. With OLED adoption, the total market value of materials used in OLED applications will grow quickly from about $500 million in 2012 to over $7 billion by the end of 2019, reports NanoMarkets.

Active OLED materials — emissive materials, hosts, and hole/electron injection and transport materials — will account for nearly $3 billion of that $7 billion pool.

Also read: OLED adoption means shifting reqs for OLED materials

NanoMarkets’ research report, “OLED Materials Markets 2012,” provides analysis and forecasts for OLED materials in the coming 8 years. It examines some of the latest market strategies, products and technical developments in OLED materials, as well as identifies how performance improvements are growing some addressable markets for OLEDs. Assessments of strategies at several top OLED materials suppliers are also included. Furthermore, the study is supplemented with granular eight-year forecasts of materials shipments in both OLED panel area and value terms, with breakouts by material type, deposition technology, and by panel type.

Material categories covered include: functional OLED materials in the emissive layer and hole/electron transport/injection/blocking layers as well as substrates, electrodes, and encapsulation technologies.

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August 6, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — The touch panel display industry is up against low profit margins and increased competition for business, as well as new touch sensor technologies on the scene in 2012, according to a report offered by Research and Markets.

Squeezed by counterparts from South Korea, the Japanese LCD industry has witnessed a dramatic decline for the past few years, despite attempts from the government to save it. The momentous event of the small and medium-sized display industry in 2011 was the merging of Toshiba, Hitachi and Sony, Japan’s three leading TFT-LCD manufacturers, into one businesss named Japan Display, which went into formal operation in April 2012. In the future, Panasonic’s TFT-LCD business is likely to be incorporated into the company.

For most touch panel manufacturers, 2011 to 2012 is bad to worse. In H2 2011, capacitive touch panel capacity was largely put into production, accompanied by plunged prices. All touch panel makers except TPK and Wintek all showed declines in revenue. Entering 2012, the situation became worse, with small and medium-sized manufacturers in Taiwan seeing capacity between 20 and 40%. Even Wintek, Apple’s main supplier, had gross margin below 1% in Q4 2011– many peers went negative.

Also read: Touchscreen trends: New touch technologies growing and application trends

In 2012, the touch panel industry’s patterning is changing. On-cell and in-cell technologies are presenting a challenge to traditional manufacturers. On-cell touch sensors are mainly used in AMOLED displays.

Research and Markets added the report "Global and Chinese Touch Panel (Including Small- and Medium-sized Display) Industry Report, 2011-2012" to their offering.

Companies mentioned in the report: AUO, AimCore Technology, CPT, Cando, Chimei Innolux, Digitech Systems, EELY, ELK, G-tech Optoelectronics, GiantPlus, HannStar, Hannstouch, ILJIN Display, JTOUCH, Japan Display, LG Display, Lintek, Melfas, Mildex, Mutto Optronics, NISSHA Printing, SMAC, SMD, Sharp, Shenzhen Laibao Hi-tech, Shenzhen Lens, Shenzhen O-Film Tech, TPK, Tianma Micro-electronics, Transtouch Technology, Truly International, Wuhu Token Sciences, and Young Fast.

For more information, visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/qv9mbb/global_and_chinese

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August 6, 2012 — The global market for public displays is strong, but in recent quarters, flat panel display (FPD) manufacturers have emphasized revenue and profit over volume, thus lowering the overall unit shipment outlook for this category. As production of plasma displays winds down, LCD-based commercial displays have yet to fully fill the void. With reduced production of plasma, the public display market fell 13% year over year (Y/Y). However, LCD public display shipments were up 23% Y/Y, according to the NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly FPD Public Display Shipment and Forecast Report.

Forecasts still show strong growth, with the market set to push near 12 million units sold in 2018, an increase from just under 3 million units in 2011. Growth will be driven by new applications for public displays such as digital signage, interactive white boards, video walls, electronic menu boards, as well as the global trend toward urbanization in developing countries seen most visibly in China.

Figure 1. Worldwide LCD commercial public display shipments and forecast. SOURCE: NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly FPD Public Display Shipment and Forecast Report.

The advantage that plasma once had over LCD—larger displays for less money—has been disappearing over the years. Today, vendors such as Sharp are able to produce 60” and larger LCDs at less cost. Plasma had been able to capture some of the lower-end demand for public displays with that demand also being fulfilled by lower-priced consumer-TV displays. Leading vendors of commercial public displays, such as Samsung and NEC, are now focusing on 40” and larger sizes, conceding that the demand for medium-sized (26” to 39”) digital signage can be fulfilled by TV-grade products

In recent years, LCD manufacturers have been better able to differentiate their larger size displays (40” and larger) from similarly-sized consumer TV products with technologies such as thinner bezels, which allow for better video wall installations. Backlight technologies, such as LED, also offer unique solutions, allowing for not only thin displays, but also for higher brightness, which is needed by many commercial applications to perform in various ambient light conditions.

“This focus on higher-margin, larger-size displays is welcoming news—not just for display brands but for their global integrators alike. With a focus on technologies that have relevance to specific end-market needs, other players in the digital signage ecosystem also benefit by avoiding price comparisons against commoditized TVs,” noted Chris Connery, NPD DisplaySearch VP of PC and large-format commercial displays.

While the use of TVs in commercial environments is not always apparent, NPD DisplaySearch’s sell-through research with top commercial distributors and resellers indicates vendors that offer hybrid products that are a mix of commercial displays and consumer TVs. Detailed US commercial sell-through data shows that hybrid displays grew 85% Y/Y in Q1’12, outpacing pure commercial displays at only 5% Y/Y.

Connery added, “While the total market size for public displays is not shrinking, more displays now fall into different categories, which can be documented in new ways, such as when consumer TVs are used for commercial applications.”

Figure 2. US distributor & reseller sell-through of large-format commercial (26”+) LCDs by category. SOURCE: NPD DisplaySearch Monthly Large Format Commercial Displays Sell Through Report.

 

The NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly FPD Public Display Shipment and Forecast Report analyzes historical shipments, revenues, and forecast projections to provide an accurate, detailed view of the public display market. NPD DisplaySearch has been recognized as a leading global market research and consulting firm specializing in the display supply chain, as well as the emerging photovoltaic/solar cell industries. For more information on DisplaySearch analysts, reports, and industry events, visit http://www.displaysearch.com/.

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August 3, 2012 — E Ink Holdings (8069.TW), electronic paper and LCD technology company, signed a definitive agreement to buy shares of SiPix Technology Inc. (STI) and its wholly owned subsidiary SiPix Imaging Inc. (SII), the maker of electronic paper displays.

SiPix is based in California and Taiwan. It makes electrophoretic displays based on micro-cup technology. E Ink has reached an agreement to buy 82.7% of SiPix’s (STI) shares and is seeking to buy up to 100%, which is valued at approximately NT$1.5 billion. After customary regulatory approvals, the final closing is likely to be during Q4, 2012.

E Ink boasts easy readability and low power consumption with its e-paper, compared to traditional displays. The acquisition will allow E Ink to expand in its existing markets for e-paper, and diversify into newer applications. Over 50 million ePaper displays are being used worldwide. The company’s stated goal is “E Ink on Every Smart Surface.”

Also read: E Ink subsidiary Hydis adds on-cell touchscreen tech to LCD portfolio

E Ink and SiPix’s customers will now have a wider portfolio of products and technologies to choose from with a larger global network of offices in different geographies. With this purchase, E Ink will have the widest offerings of ePaper technologies, a larger set of products and a stronger patent portfolio, the company said

E Ink currently enjoys over 90%+ share in the eReader market with customers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookeen, Ectaco, Hanvon, iRiver, Kobo, Sony, Wexler and others. E Ink also makes ePaper displays for Signage, Electronic Shelf Labels, Battery and Memory Indicators, Wrist Watches, Credit Cards, Mobile Phones and a variety of other applications. Its customers include Epson, Pervasive Displays, Motorola, Lexar, Citizen, Seiko, Toppan, Invue, Eton, Motion Display, Neolux and many others.

Founded in 1992 by Taiwan’s leading papermaking and printing group YFY (1907.TW), E Ink Holdings Inc. (8069.TW) is a pioneer of TFT and ePaper business in Taiwan. For corporate information, please visit www.einkgroup.com; for EPD information, please visit www.eink.com / tw.eink.com; and for FFS information, please visit www.hydis.com.

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Charles Annis, DisplaySearch, reports on new thin glass products for lighter, thinner, and flexible displays. The full article is available in the DisplaySearch Monitor publication for July. In this article, thin FPD glass refers to 0.4mm or thinner, while ultra-thin glass means 0.2mm or thinner.

August 3, 2012 — The flat panel display (FPD) industry is continuously researching thinner glass substrates, to reduce the glass volume and weight of displays. Thinner glass substrates can be more expensive despite the lower raw material quantities, due to the engineering work to create them. With time, thinner glass results in lower display manufacturing costs.

Thinner glass is of interest for mobile displays. Ultra-thin substrates are an enabling technology for flexible displays, including flexible active matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays, which are on the verge of commercialization. However, DisplaySearch warns that many display fabs are set up to handle glass 0.5mm and thicker, and will need to be retrofitted to process 0.4mm glass, and will need even more handling tools for 0.3mm and thinner.

Corning recently brought its 0.3mm EAGLE XG Slim glass to Gen 6 substrates, targeting mobile displays. The glass avoids or reduces wet etching by hydrofluoric acid for thinning.

Figure. The glass-thinning segment will grow at a 29% CAGR between 2010 and 2015. SOURCE: DisplaySearch, TFT LCD Process Roadmap Report

Corning also presented “Ultra-Slim Flexible Glass Substrates for Display Applications” at the Society for Information Display’s Display Week, this June in Boston, discussing 0.2mm glass that can be rolled up on spools. It can be used as touch panels, cover glass, lighting, color filters, substrate, and encapsulation glass.

Non-alkali glass is the substrate of choice for conventional FPDs, and is desirable for flexible applications. It offers thin form factor with smooth surface quality and high transmission, among other benefits. Polymer substrates are stronger and lighter, but suffer from significantly higher surface roughness and lower optical transmission than glass. Glass also offers a significantly better hermetic seal than polymer substrates, of high interest for AMOLED displays.

Figure 2. Qualities of polymer film versus glass for flexible displays. SOURCE: Corning,“Ultra-Slim Flexible Glass Substrates for Display Applications,” SID 2012.

Glassmakers are developing hybrid substrates that combine polymer films with glass. Their purpose is to overcome the tradeoffs with each of the materials, providing the high quality of glass while adding the strength of polymer films.

To read the full article, including information about AGC’s carrier technology for 100µm glass, register for the DisplaySearch Monitor publication at http://www.displaysearch.com/cps/rde/xchg/displaysearch/hs.xsl/displaysearch_monitor_newsletter_with_fpd_market_news_flash_reports.asp

DisplaySearch LLC, an NPD Group Company, reports and articles can be accessed at www.displaysearch.com

Also read: The view from Display Week 2012: Glass tech at AGC

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August 3, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — Panasonic Corporation (NYSE:PC, TOKYO:6752) will reform its head office and governance as of October 1, aiming to reduce internally focused work and focus on customer needs.

The strategy involves reviewing the mission of the corporate R&D division, transferring “themes” and personnel to their relevant business domains within Panasonic. Corporate R&D’s new mission will be to create new business and technologies in long-term growth areas and develop uniform technologies across the entire company.

The personnel working on existing business fields will gear their R&D toward midterm business growth. Panasonic recently focused research on organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with Sony, and on flexible electronics with imec.

Panasonic is also establishing a corporate strategy head office, staff of about 150, which will oversee midterm strategies and allocate management resources, as well as develop executives and promote cash flow management. Functions other than the above will be realigned as part of a Professional Business Support Sector. Panasonic will regroup some of the related divisions into single divisions and simplify organizations. 

A Group Management Team will evaluate Panasonic’s mid- and long-term strategy and important business moves, with about 10 executives involved. Various meetings will be reorganized as appropriate under this new structure.

Learn more about Panasonic at http://panasonic.net/.

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August 1, 2012 — NanoMarkets announced a new report on the transparent conductor (TC) market which includes the dominant indium tin oxide (ITO), along with other transparent conducting oxides (TCOs), conductive polymers, silver grids and coatings, copper, carbon nanotubes and graphene and nanocomposite materials of various kinds.

Most firms offering alternatives to ITO focus on the touch-screen sensor market; however, this sector is too small for many of these firms to generate significant revenues.

Also read: Soaring indium costs drive hunt for alternative in transparent electrodes

NanoMarkets believes that the current rapid development of the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display and lighting market could boost the makers of non-ITO TCs. While ITO is widely used in OLEDs it is not well suited to this application. The OLED sector is already beginning to seek alternative TCs.

ITO also may not work well in high-throughput roll-to-roll (R2R) processes used to manufacture flexible displays. ITO cannot be used in rollable displays, due to its material nature. Flexible displays, primed to become a sizable market, could be major contributors to the mainstream adoption of ITO alternatives for TC.

NanoMarkets expects a resurgence in thin-film solar panels for use in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). This will boost firms selling tin oxide (SnO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) materials and there is considerable research activity currently seeking the best dopants for these materials for TC applications.

Silver-based TCs seem to have taken off commercially and can now be found in a number of commercial cellphone models.

Nanotube-based TCs have made little commercial progress, although a few well-funded firms — Samsung, Linde and Toray, for example — still back this approach.

Meanwhile, Agfa, Heraeus and Kodak seem to be making progress with their low-cost conductive polymer TCs. The materials have considerable potential for growth in small displays for electronic labels and smartcards.

NanoMarkets provides in-depth analysis of the applications from which TC firms will be able to make money in the next few years including touch-screens, OLEDs, e-paper, thin-film and BIPV, organic/DSC PV, smart windows, etc. The report examines implications for TCs of the rise of flexible and transparent electronics and provides an in-depth discussion of how non-ITO TCs may be able to break into the LCD market. For each application the report contains separate eight-year forecasts in terms of value ($ millions) and volume (square meters). Each forecast is also broken out by material type.

Firms discussed in the report including 3M, Agfa, Asahi Glass, Atmel, Cambrios, Cima NanoTech, Corning, Dow Chemical, Evonik, Ferro, Fujitsu, Harima Chemicals, Heraeus, Hitachi, Idemitsu Kosan, Indium Corporation, Kodak, LG, Linde, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Nippon Mining and Metals, Nitto Denko, PolyIC, Pilkington, Saint-Gobain, Samsung, Schott, SKC, Sony, Oike, Sumitomo, Teijin, Toray, Tosoh, Ulvac, Umicore, Unidym, and many others.

NanoMarkets tracks and analyzes emerging market opportunities in energy, electronics and other markets created by developments in advanced materials. Visit http://www.nanomarkets.net for a full listing of NanoMarkets’ reports and other services.

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