Category Archives: Displays

June 26, 2012 — Vacuum product and abatement system maker Edwards (NASDAQ:EVAC) debuted the iXL250Q and iXL750Q dry pumps, joining the iXL500Q pump in flat panel display (FPD) and solar manufacturing applications. The pumps are used for the smaller loadlocks at Generation 4 (Gen-4) through the largest at Gen-8 and Gen-10 fabs.

Also read: Edwards tailors vacuum pump for LED, compound semiconductor manufacturing

The iXL250Q is targeted for smaller chambers used for earlier generation FPDs (e.g. Generation 4), while the iXL500Q and iXL750Q are more suited to larger chamber volumes encountered in Generation 8 and 10.

These pumps are designed to maximize substrate throughput, while minimizing power, footprint and weight. In addition, no maintenance is required between overhauls.

All pumps are “Green Mode” enabled, allowing them to run at lower power during idle periods.

Time to pump down a particular volume chamber is largely determined by how much pumping speed is available close to atmospheric pressure. As the product names suggest, the iXL250Q, iXL500Q and iXL750Q provide approximately 250 m3/h, 500 m3/h, and 750 m3/h pumping speed around atmospheric pressure.

Visit Edwards at North Hall, Booth 5351 during InterSolar and SEMICON West, taking place July 10-12 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. More SEMICON West products here.

Edwards is a leading manufacturer of sophisticated vacuum products and abatement systems and a leading provider of related value-added services for the manufacture of semiconductors, flat panel displays, LEDs and solar cells, as well as other industries. Edwards’ American Depositary Shares trade on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol EVAC. Further information about Edwards can be found at www.edwardsvacuum.com.

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June 26, 2012 — JP Sercel Associates Inc. released the IX-6168-PS picosecond-laser-based micromachining platform, using lasers with 5-500 picosecond pulse lengths.

The lasers machine glass, ceramics, metals and alloys, and other hard-to-process materials. With ultrafast laser processing, the pulse duration is shorter than the thermal diffusion timescale of the material, resulting in a direct solid to vapor transition that greatly reduces debris formation, and minimizes thermal impact on the surrounding area.

The JPSA picosecond laser platform is designed to accept multiple types of ultrafast lasers. Laser choices include infrared (IR), green or UV wavelengths, and a range of power and pulse rate options. The laser is accommodated in a slide-out service trolley within the workstation, and is fully integrated with the system control software. 

JPSA provides a dual-beam delivery configuration; a fixed-beam configuration can be used to produce a finely focused beam, with a precision air-bearing stage for precise feature positioning; for high-speed processing of complex shapes, a high-accuracy galvanometer configuration incorporates a step-and-scan function. The IX-6168-PS is delivered with both fixed beam and galvanometer scanning capability, and can be easily reconfigured on-site to suit individual needs.

The IX-6168-PS can be supplied as a manual-load system, or combined with JPSA’s Integrated Automation Platform for fully automated operation in semiconductor wafer applications. Configuration options include laser wavelength, power and repetition rate, and a choice of galvanometer scanner and lens systems to optimize large deflection field applications.

JPSA products and services include UV excimer, DPSS and ultra-fast laser micromachining systems, UV and VUV laser beam delivery systems, laser materials processing development, optical damage testing, and excimer laser refurbishment services. JPSA operates a high-performance laser job shop as well as a systems engineering and manufacturing business. For more information, visit http://www.jpsalaser.com.

June 25, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — Panasonic Corporation (NYSE:PC, TOKYO:6752) and Sony Corporation will combine their core and printing technology to jointly develop next-generation organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel and module manufacturing technology.

Sony and Panasonic will develop printing-method-manufacturable next-generation OLED technology, targeting low-cost mass production of large, high-resolution OLED panels and modules for TVs and large-sized displays.

Sony and Panasonic plan to establish a mass-production methodology in 2013.

Sony makes 11” and 25” OLED displays, using deposition technologies for manufacturing. Sony has actively promoted the research and development of next-generation OLED technologies such as hybrid OLED element devices and processing technologies that combine deposition and printing methods, thin film transistor (TFT) drivers such as oxide TFTs, and flexible organic TFTs.

Panasonic uses an all-printing method, as well as other printing techniques, to make its large-sized screen, high-resolution OLED panels. Panasonic owns the unique production and equipment technologies to produce OLED panels via this method. Panasonic is also pursuing the future possibility of OLED panels, and is carrying out research and development of advancements in flexible OLED panels and aiming to develop large-sized, high-quality sheet-type displays.

In parallel with the joint development of the next-generation technologies of the OLED panels and modules, Sony and Panasonic plan to continue to study collaboration in the mass production of OLED panels and modules. Also, each company plans to utilize its own strengths to develop and commercialize its own competitive, high-performance, next-generation OLED televisions and large-sized displays.

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June 22, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — Scriptel Corporation, a global provider of capacitive touch sensor products, debuted its GloveCap capacitive touchscreen technology that is capable of registering contact through most types of electrically insulated materials, such as gloves.

“GloveCap represents a new opportunity in capacitive glass technology,” said Winston Powers, SVP of engineering and development, because it can distinguish the range of touch from bare hands to thick insulated gloves.

Also read: Capacitive touch displays take resistive market share

GloveCap sensors are manufacturer with the new industry standard, thin film technology. The product can be applied to many types of substrates, including chemically strengthened glass, plastics, and other non-conductive materials. It can also be applied to curved or other non-traditional surfaces.

GloveCap offers multi-touch user interfaces in rugged environments with or without gloves or other insulating materials.

Products using GloveCap technology will be available in Q4 2012.

Scriptel Corporation provides signature capture and touch response technology for the point of sale industry. Scriptel’s capabilities include offering multiple touch sensor panels, active pen technology with pressure sensing capabilities, and ASIC solutions to the capacitive sensor panel market. For more information about Scriptel, please visit: www.scriptel.com.

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June 21, 2012 — Worldwide TV shipments fell almost 8% year over year (Y/Y) to 51 million units in Q1 2012, the steepest rate of decline since Q2 2009. The biggest contributor to this decline was a slowdown in shipments of LCD TVs, which fell Y/Y for the first time in the history of the category, declining just over 3%, to 43 million units, according to NPD DisplaySearch.

“Key component prices, such as LCD panels, are not expected to decline much in 2012,” said Paul Gagnon, NPD DisplaySearch Director of North America TV Research, who blamed soft demand and cautious expectations about the upcoming year in many parts of the TV supply chain for the slowdown in shipments. Gagnon added that many brands are concentrating on improving their bottom line in a “price-conscious consumer market.”

LCD TV shipment share fell slightly from Q4 2011, due to a seasonal shift to emerging markets where CRT demand is higher, but is up 4 percentage points from a year ago, to 84.2%.

The average LCD TV screen size increased 5% Y/Y in Q1 2012, passing 35” for the first time, with gains in both emerging and developed markets. LCD TV is capturing market share at 40” and larger screen sizes because of a sharp decline in plasma TV demand.

Plasma TV unit shipments continued to decline, falling 18% Y/Y in Q1 2012 after an 8% decline in Q4 2011. The popularity of plasma TV among consumers is waning, and a large majority of the recent shipment volume remains centered on low-priced 2D HD models, indicating consumers are buying on price when shopping for plasma.

Despite the weak results on a unit basis, demand for larger sizes continues to grow. The market share for 40” and larger TVs increased from just under 31% a year ago to more than 37% in Q1’12 with total unit shipments for 40”+ rising 12% Y/Y. Larger sizes have become much more affordable with 40-44” LCD TV average prices below $600 and new 50” LCD TVs selling for less than $1000, joining 50”-class plasma TVs that have been selling for less than $700 for several quarters now.

The share of LCD TVs with LED backlights also rose sharply, from 51% in Q4 2011 to almost 56% in Q1 2012, and up 20 percentage points Y/Y. More affordable direct-type LED-backlit sets began shipping in Q1 2012. Also read: Lower-cost LED backlights darken CCFL’s future

Table 1. Q1 2012 worldwide TV shipments by technology (000s). Source: NPD DisplaySearch Advanced Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report

Technology

Q1’12
Units

Q1’12
Unit Share

Q/Q
Growth

Y/Y
Growth

LCD TV

43,131

84.2%

-33%

-3%

PDP TV

2,982

5.8%

-43%

-18%

OLED TV

0

0.0%

-100%

-100%

CRT TV

5,084

9.9%

-8%

-31%

RPTV

25

0.0%

-22%

-44%

Total

51,222

100%

-32%

-8%

China remains the #1 region for TV shipments at 20% of all units shipped during the quarter, down very slightly from the previous quarter. However, growth slowed significantly during the seasonally important Q1 leading to Golden Week holidays, with unit shipments falling 4% Y/Y after growing by double digits the previous three quarters. Flat panel TVs are starting to saturate China’s higher-income urban markets, but prices are still too high to kick off a wave of upgrades in rural markets. Asia Pacific (which includes India, Korea, and Australia) was the #2 region for TV shipments, followed by North America and Western Europe.

3D shipment share continues to grow, albeit more slowly in recent quarters, rising to just over 14% of total TV shipments and 16% of flat panel TV shipments. Demand for 3D in emerging regions is actually higher than in developed regions, with 16% of flat panel TV units shipped to emerging markets in Q1’12 compared to 15% among developed regions.

Samsung’s global flat panel TV revenue share remained around 26%, near record levels and was the only one of the top five flat panel TV brands on a revenue basis to show Y/Y growth during Q1 2012. Samsung also was the top brand in the key segments of LCD TV, 40”+, LED-backlit LCD, and 3D TV.

LGE was the #2 brand and showed a significant improvement in market share, rising more than a percentage point to 14.6% revenue share. Sony rounded out the top flat panel TVs on a revenue basis, but posted a large drop in Y/Y revenues, as did Panasonic.

Table 2. Q1 2012 Worldwide flat panel TV brand rankings by revenue share. Source: NPD DisplaySearch Advanced Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report.

Rank

Brand

Q4’11
Share

Q1’12
Share

Q/Q
Growth

Y/Y
Growth

1

Samsung

26.3%

26.0%

-33%

9%

2

LGE

13.4%

14.6%

-26%

-7%

3

Sony

9.8%

9.4%

-35%

-21%

4

Sharp

5.8%

6.5%

-25%

-18%

5

Panasonic

6.9%

5.3%

-48%

-23%

 

Other

37.7%

38.3%

-31%

-7%

 

Total

100.0%

100.0%

-32%

-7%

NPD DisplaySearch TV market intelligence, including panel and TV shipments, TV shipments by region, brand, size, resolution, frame rate and backlight type for nearly 60 brands, rolling 16-quarter forecasts, TV cost/price forecasts and design wins can be found in its Advanced Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report.

NPD DisplaySearch is a global market research and consulting firm specializing in the display supply chain, as well as the emerging photovoltaic/solar cell industries. Internet: www.displaysearch.com.

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Day 2 of the 2012 TechConnect World Summit, Expo & Showcase opened with fifteen parallel sessions ranging from printed and flexible electronics to device modeling to green chemistry and water to nanotechnology for cancer diagnostics. The unifying theme for this conference is promising technology in search of funding and the opportunity for market validation.

Liyong Diao of Brewer Science described the fabrication and characterization of CNT inductors on flexible plastic substrates. The Brewer operation in Springfield, MO is focused on materials & process development for printed electronics. Both SWCNT and MWCNT have a maximum current density, electron mean free path and thermal conductivity several orders of magnitude higher than copper. The Brewer material is applied as a spray suspension of CNT, and thin films had a sheet resistance <1Ω/square. Multiple spray/dry cycles are used to build up film thickness to the target 10µm. The CNT film resistance is not temperature sensitive, but RLC circuit resonance was environmentally sensitive to parasitic capacitance.

T.H. Chang of U Wisconsin, Madison showed a printing transfer method for fabricating flexible graphene transistors. The graphene was conventional CVD monolayer grown on copper film. Transfer is accomplished by proper sequencing of the surface energies of the device substrates and the transfer substrates so that the material you want moves when and where you want it to move. 140nm channel devices were fabricated with e-beam lithography.

 

Jean-Pierre Simonato of CEA Grenoble (France) presented a highly flexible transparent film heater based on metallic nanowires. The devices works on Joule heating, P=V2/R, of Ag nanowires. The device provides high heating rates and stable steady-state temperature control at operating voltages ≤12V. Sheet resistance is <20Ω/o up to 80% transmittance at 550nm. Unlike ITO, the Ag nanowire film is highly flexible, maintaining low resistance even during crinkling. The material set can be used to fabricate thermochromic displays. Heating and cooling rates are dominated by the substrate material, but good repeatability in thermal cycling was demonstrated with all substrates used. The group believes a reasonable trade-off can be achieved between transparency, conductivity and cost with the Ag nanowire system.

Junghyun Cho of SUNY Binghamton talked about the growth of nanostructured ceramic films from liquid solution. Their process strategy focuses on low temperature processing, mimicking biological processes where applicable. A variety of materials and applications were demonstrated, as shown in the table, with film morphology and as-deposited density depending on deposition parameters in solution. Activity is underway to extend the material/process technology to dye-sensitized solar cells in which the dye is incorporated into the ceramic film layer.

Toivo Kodas of Cabot Corp. gave an overview of functional nanomaterials technology at Cabot. His primary mission is to find problems that require particles as part of the solution, since the corporate banner is that they are the world’s largest ($3B) pure-play nanomaterials producer. Complex metal oxides made by spray pyrolysis are finding expanded use in security applications based on their unique spectral signatures, as they are extremely difficult to counterfeit. Custom coatings on gold nanoparticles exploit the surface enhanced Raman effect for security applications at extremely low reporter particle concentrations.

Also read Conference Report: TechConnect, Day 1

 

June 20, 2012 — Samsung Electronics’ UN46ES8000F TV is a high-end product with electronics and display integration. Displaybank performed a teardown analysis of the product.

Samsung Electronics UN46ES8000F supports shutter-glass-method 3D display, and integrated touch-type remote control with remote controls of related peripherals — IR Blaster — in addition to basic remote control.

Also read: 3D LCD TV panels achieved 10% penetration in 2011

It has slim bezel style design; the front cover of the liquid crystal display (LCD) module works as the front cover of the finished product.

Preview image from the teardown report.

The TV offers wired/wireless network connection, and built-in camera and microphone. It is equipped with next-generation user interfaces (UI/UX) such as voice and motion recognition.

Preview image from the teardown report.

Consumer electronics companies are introducing products that can install/use network functions and applications to existing TVs, and IT companies are introducing products used by connecting to existing TVs, Displaybank notes, as TV fuses with IT.

Displaybank analyzed the main structure, cost competitiveness, and suppliers of major parts of the Samsung TV. Access the report at http://www.displaybank.com/_eng/research/report_view.html?id=874&cate=

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June 20, 2012 — In mid-2011, semiconductor manufacturing and assembly equipment supplier Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) acquired Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates Inc. Now, the company is adding Varian’s former CEO Gary Dickerson as president.

Dickerson will be responsible for the day-to-day operation and performance of the company’s four business units: the Silicon Systems Group, Energy and Environmental Solutions, Display and Applied Global Services. He will report directly to Mike Splinter, chairman and chief executive officer.

Dickerson brings more than 30 years of semiconductor industry experience. "Gary is a seasoned and respected leader who brings a wealth of industry knowledge and an impressive track record of delivering winning products, high customer satisfaction and strong financial performance," said Mike Splinter.

Dickerson spent 7 years as CEO of Varian Semiconductor, during which time the company delivered record revenue and profits and ranked high in customer satisfaction.

Prior to Varian, Dickerson spent 18 years at KLA-Tencor Corporation (KLAC) where he held a variety of operations and product development roles before being appointed COO in 1999 and then president and COO in 2002.  Dickerson started his semiconductor career in manufacturing and engineering management at General Motors’ Delco Electronics Division and AT&T Technologies.

Dickerson has a BS degree in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri, Rolla and an MBA from the University of Missouri, Kansas City.

Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT) provides equipment, services and software to enable the manufacture of advanced semiconductor, flat panel display and solar photovoltaic products. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.

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June 18, 2012 — Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are breaking through in displays and lighting applications in the past 18 months, after a long run as a potential technology, reports NanoMarkets. OLED materials must meet growing requirements as OLEDs hit the market, allowing OLED materials suppliers to break out of their niche, specialty status in the next few years.

Samsung’s Galaxy smartphone products with OLED displays outshipped Apple’s iPhones in Q1 2012, notes NanoMarkets. LG and Samsung have launched OLED TVs, hitting stores in 2012, with more to follow.

OLED-based lighting is also already on the market, although almost entirely in the form of low-volume, luxury lighting. The industry is working toward larger panels for general and architectural illumination — higher-volume, price-sensitive applications.

As the addressable market for OLEDs grows, so it does for OLED materials. The number of modules is increasing, and OLED module average sizes are getting steadily larger. Add to this trend a shift in the relative importance of different applications as OLED is adopted, and substrates, transparent conductors, organic semiconductors, emissive materials, and encapsulation technologies will need to be rapidly tailored for different needs.

For example, OLED materials suppliers are developing longer-lifetime blue emitters that will strongly benefit the display sector, while quality white emission schemes are needed for OLED lighting applications.

Also read:

Novaled’s new OLED materials set could double OLED lifetimes

OLED manufacturers develop new color patterning technologies

Universal Display intros novel emission layer systems for OLEDs

“OLED MATERIALS OPPORTUNITIES 2012” is the latest update from NanoMarkets on the OLED materials markets. Analysts quantify the opportunities that are emerging from the booming OLED display industry and in the nascent OLED lighting market, where the key determinants of success will be device efficiency, lifetime, and reduction in total cost of ownership. The report also analyzes the strategies of some of the major players in this space, ranging from giant chemical firms such as BASF, DuPont and Sumitomo to important specialty firms such as UDC, Novaled, and Plextronics. It considers commercial implications of technology developments and predicts what they will mean to the industry overall. The report contains detailed volume and revenue forecasts for materials used for OLEDs broken out by material type and functionality, as well as by application and by deposition method wherever possible. 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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Updated June 22, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — MicroVision, Inc. (Nasdaq:MVIS), ultra-miniature laser display maker, closed its public offering with net proceeds, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses, of approximately $9.7 million.

Updated June 18, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — MicroVision is offering to sell, subject to market and other conditions, shares of its common stock and warrants to purchase shares of its common stock in an underwritten public offering, with Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. as underwriter. MicroVision intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes.

MVIS’ 4.2 million units are priced to the public at $2.50 per unit for gross proceeds of approximately $10.5 million. Each unit consists of one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase 0.5 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.65 per share. The shares of common stock and warrants are immediately separable and will be issued separately. The warrants are exercisable beginning one year from the date of issuance and expire on the fifth anniversary of the date of issuance. MicroVision expects to receive net proceeds, after deducting the underwriting discount, of approximately $9.9 million from the offering.

The offering is expected to close on or about June 20, 2012, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

The securities described above are being offered by MicroVision pursuant to its registration statement on Form S-3 previously filed and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in the offering, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The offering may be made only by means of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the prospectus relating to the proposed offering, copies of which may be obtained, when available, from Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., Attention: Syndicate Prospectus Department, 85 Broad Street, New York, NY, 10004, by telephone at 212-667-8563, or via email at [email protected].

MicroVision provides the PicoP display technology platform designed to enable next-generation display capabilities for consumer devices and vehicle displays. The company’s PicoP display technology uses highly efficient laser light sources which can create vivid images with high contrast and brightness. For more information, visit www.microvision.com

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