Category Archives: Displays

January 16, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — Optical touchscreen technology company Neonode Inc. (NEON.OB) signed a technology license agreement with a global consumer OEM. The unnamed customer will integrate Neonode’s zForce optical touchscreen technology with color LCD panels on consumer devices, though the device category is not being revealed.

Neonode’s patented touch screen technology for portable devices, zForce, is reportedly more cost effective than other high-performance touch screen technologies. It supports high-resolution pen writing in combination with finger navigation and provides a 100% clear viewing experience. It operates on reflective display panels and is being integrated into mobile phones, e-readers, printer products, automotive applications, and tablet devices.

This contract extends the use of ZForce onto LCD and OLED display-based products, said Thomas Eriksson, CEO, adding that the customer will reduce its bill of materials (BOM) cost and increase device performance.

Neonode provides optical touch screen technologies for small to midsize devices. Neonode offers software licenses and engineering design services to customers such as Amazon, Sony, L&I and Barnes & Noble. Neonode Inc. is traded under the symbol NEON.OB. For more information, please visit www.neonode.com.

Visit the new Displays Manufacturing Channel on ElectroIQ.com!

January 16, 2012 — The Organic Electronics Association, a working group within VDMA, released its "OE-A Roadmap for Organic and Printed Electronics," 4th edition, December 2011 for download. The roadmap covers organic/printed electronics application clusters such as flexible displays and smart systems, as well as the outlook on materials, substrates, and patterning processes.

The roadmap details product generations with their key applications and technology parameters. It also identifies principle challenges.

The OE-A roadmap application clusters:

Supply chain technologies:

  • Functional materials
  • Patterning processes 
  • Substrates

The last edition of the OE-A roadmap was published in 2009. Today, organic and printed electronics are entering the mass market. "Exciting technical progress" has been made since the 2009 edition. Taking these factors into account, the 2011 edition was streamlined by grouping related application areas with commercial appeal. The Organic Electronics Association believes that the industry must develop "a common opinion about what kind of products, processes and materials will be available and when." Challenges must be approached from every aspect of the organic/printed electronics value chain.

The roadmap can help industry, government agencies and scientists plan and align R&D activities and product plans.


The 4th edition of the OE-A roadmap is available for download from the OE-A homepage.

Want to become a member of the OE-A Roadmap project groups? Contact [email protected].

Visit the new Displays Manufacturing Channel on ElectroIQ.com!
Visit the new LEDs Manufacturing Channel on ElectroIQ.com!

January 13, 2012 — For the first time, Apple Inc. has publicly published a list of over 150 companies that the electronics giant says represent 97% of its procurement expenditures for materials, manufacturing, and assembly of products worldwide.

See the suppliers here: http://images.apple.com/supplierresponsibility/pdf/Apple_Supplier_List_2011.pdf

The disclosure is part of a broad supplier responsibility reporting initiative at Apple. The US-based company has had its ties to China’s Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer by revenue and the parent firm of Hong Kong-listed Foxconn International, scrutinized recently.

In 2011, Apple conducted 229 audits throughout its supply chain, an 80% increase over 2010. In 2011, the company launched a specialized auditing program to address environmental concerns about certain suppliers in China. Third-party environmental engineering experts worked with Apple to audit 14 facilities. Apple also broadened its age verification program in 2011. The full progress report is available from Apple at http://images.apple.com/supplierresponsibility/pdf/Apple_SR_2012_Progress_Report.pdf

January 12, 2012 — Jennifer Ernst of Thin Film Electronics and Michael C. Dudzik of Lockheed Martin have joined the Governing Board of FlexTech Alliance, a group focused on developing the electronic display and flexible printed electronics industry supply chains.

Jennifer Ernst is VP North America for Thin Film Electronics, a supplier of printed non-volatile, and flexible memory products. Ernst formerly served as director of business development for PARC, a Xerox company, for more than 20 years, where she helped establish PARC’s open business model, expand PARC into multiple new industries, and secure licensing and co-development relationships in the US, Asia, and Europe. She holds an MBA from Santa Clara University and BA from San Francisco State University.

Michael C. Dudzik serves as VP, Science and Technology, Washington Operations at Lockheed Martin, and brings extensive engineering design, development and manufacturing experience.  Dudzik previously held leadership positions at Texas Instruments, ERIM Automotive and Georgia Technological University. He is a former Brigadier General in the United States Air Force Reserve with assignments in advanced technology, system development, and Space operations. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics at University of Detroit, a Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering from Ohio State University, and a Master of Business Administration from University of Dallas.  He has been active on the University and Small Business advisory boards, including: the University of Michigan, Florida State University and the University of Detroit Mercy.  He is an SAE Fellow and a Registered Professional Engineer.  

Ernst will be pivotal in "expanding and enabling new flexible electronic applications, technologies and associated infrastructure," said Dr. John Batey, chairman of the FlexTech Alliance Governing Board. Dudzik’s military applications experience, particularly in the confluence of government, academia, and industry will enable "crucial collaborations" and research work, Batey added.

The FlexTech Alliance, formerly known as the U.S. Display Consortium, or USDC, is devoted to fostering the growth, profitability and success of the electronic display and the flexible, printed electronics supply chain. Internet: www.flextech.org.

Visit the new Displays Manufacturing Channel on ElectroIQ.com!

January 12, 2012 — Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM), helped introduce two e-readers for the Chinese market, the Hanvon C18 by Hanwang Technology Co. Ltd. (Hanvon) and the Bambook Sunflower from The Shanghai Nutshell Electronic Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of Shanda Networking Co. Ltd. Both e-readers target the Chinese market, and both use Qualcomm’s MEMS display technology mirasol.

The Hanvon e-reader incorporating mirasol display technology was unveiled during Qualcomm chairman and CEO Dr. Paul Jacobs’s keynote at International CES this week in Las Vegas. Jacobs also used the keynote to introduce Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor, which show host the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) reports as "the first all-in-one processor to hit the market." More from CES: Intel keynote and TI’s 28nm OMAP 5.

Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Inc.’s mirasol display technology uses interferometric modulation (IMOD); a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)-based technology capable of creating color from ambient reflected light. Qualcomm’s mirasol displays are bi-stable, energy efficient, offer refresh rates to support interactive content and are highly reflective.

Commenting on the two design wins, Jennifer Colegrove of DisplaySearch said: "The mirasol displays used on the current e-readers are produced in the Gen 4.5 fab that Qualcomm and Foxlink have been operating since mid-2009. Qualcomm has invested about $1 billion to build its fully-owned Gen 4.5 fab, which is expected to be operational in 2012." Read her blog from CES.

Analyst firm IHS iSuppli predicts a slow year for pure-play e-readers in 2012, after explosive growth in 2011. One way to woo consumers will be vibrant, full-color displays, said Vinita Jakhanwal, IHS iSuppli analyst. Mirasol competes with the e-reader standard, electrophoretic displays (EPD), on common characteristics — wide viewing angle, readability in sunlight, low power consumption — and beats EPD with full color displays and fast response speeds, Jakhanwal reports. But EPD generally wins on cost. Read: Color displays could boost e-reader sales in coming years

Both e-readers feature a 5.7" XGA format (1024 x 768 pixels) mirasol display (screen resolution of 223 ppi) and Qualcomm’s 1.0 GHz Snapdragon S2 class processor. The companies’ custom application interfaces sit atop an Android 2.3 base. Battery power, based upon 30 minutes of daily reading time with Wi-Fi off and integrated reading light set to 22% utilization, lasts for weeks.

In November 2011, Qualcomm MEMS Technologies reported its first e-reader design win for the MEMS-based mirasol display, in the Korean market. The form factor, processor, and interface base in this Kyobo Book Centre of Korea e-reader are the same as the 2 devices to be introduced in China. Learn more about the Korean mirasol display launch here.

The Bambook e-Reader includes access to Shanda’s expansive content distribution portfolio, which includes millions of books, magazines and comics. Additionally, interactive content and social features enable users to share favorite passages with friends or send feedback to the authors.

Liu Yingjian, president of Hanwang Technology Co., Ltd., said that their device is "thinner and lighter than any [other] color e-reader." The Hanvon C18 e-reader includes access to tens of thousands of e-books, more than 100 Chinese newspapers and more than 300 magazines. The device features Hanvon’s patented handwriting recognition technology Hanvon Input.

Hanvon Technology Co. Ltd. has expertise in pattern recognition technologies and manufactures consumer electronics. Hanvon is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (stock code: 002362).

Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited (Nasdaq: SNDA) is a leading interactive entertainment media company in China.

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) creates 3G and next-generation mobile technologies. Learn more at www.qualcomm.com.

January 11, 2012 — The LCD TV Association, a global, not-for-profit marketing trade association for the LCD TV supply chain, added two new sustaining members: ATMEL Corporation, a leader microcontrollers, mixed-signal and RF components, and other ICs; and Linde, a gas products and engineering supplier for global manufacturing.

These members will join in the association’s mission to improve and promote the entire "LCD TV industry ecosystem, including LCD TV products and the related supply chain," said Bruce Berkoff, Chairman of the LCD TV Association.

Also read: Scaling and complexity drive LCD yield strategies  and Flat-panel TV market: Bigger is better

Tushar Dhayagude, director of marketing at ATMEL, called attention to one goal of the association, to develop more energy-efficient LCD TVs, and noted the association’s long-term road maps in this and other areas. The LCD TV Association is following trends of energy-efficient LED lighting subsystems, eliminating heavy metals from the glass and panel electronics, and more.

"Linde is constantly looking for ways to help panel manufacturers improve their use of critical materials. We are very pleased to be joining the Association and lending our support to key initiatives for a stronger and greener LCD-TV supply chain," added Andreas Weisheit, head of TFT-LCD for Linde.

For more information on the LCD TV Association, membership, activities, and related white papers, visit www.LCDTVAssociation.org

Visit the new Displays Manufacturing Channel on ElectroIQ.com!

January 10, 2012 – PRNewswire — EV Group (EVG), wafer fab equipment provider, signed a joint-development and licensing agreement with lithography company Eulitha AG, integrating Eulitha’s PHABLE mask-based ultraviolet (UV) photolithography technology with EVG’s automated mask aligner product platform.

The aim is low cost of ownership (CoO) nanopatterning of high-brightness light emitting diodes (HB-LEDs). Through this agreement, EVG and Eulitha will explore new manufacturing technologies that support lower manufacturing costs and higher light output/efficiency for LED manufacturers.

Figure. Hexagonal pattern with 300-nm hole diameter generated by PHABLE. (PRNewsFoto/EV Group).

Combining Eulitha’s full-field exposure technology with EVG’s mask alignment platform reportedly provides low-cost, automated fabrication of photonic nanostructures over large areas, and supports the production of energy efficient LEDs, as well as solar cells and liquid crystal displays (LCDs).

Proximity lithography is low-cost, easy to use, and non-contact with the substrate. EVG’s wafer alignment offers sub-micron resolution. "We believe the synergies of our respective technologies have great potential to provide the resolution and volume-production capabilities of lithography steppers at a fraction of the cost," said Harun Solak, CEO of Eulitha.

EVG plans to offer a PHABLE-enabled EVG620 system as an extension to its well-established mask alignment system platform. Demo capabilities are already in place, and the first products are expected to ship later in 2012.

Eulitha AG is a spin-off company of the Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland. It specializes in the development of innovative lithographic technologies for applications in optoelectronics, photonics, biotechnology, and data storage. For more information, visit www.eulitha.com.

EV Group (EVG) supplies wafer bonding, lithography/nanoimprint lithography (NIL) and metrology equipment, as well as photoresist coaters, cleaners and inspection systems for semiconductor, MEMS and nanotechnology applications. Learn more at www.EVGroup.com.

January 9, 2012 — Printed, flexible, and organic electronics (FPOE) enable next-generation displays, organic photovoltaics (OPV), transparent conductive films (TCFs), smart product packaging, and thin-film batteries. However, inherent technical hurdles and long development cycles are impeding returns on investment (ROI) in the technology. The key is partnerships that pool expertise in materials, equipment, and device development, shows Jonathan Melnick, in a recent Lux Research "Lux Populi" blog post (access the original blog post below).

The figure above shows display developers, applying the Lux Innovation Grid to compare how potential partners compare in technical value and business execution. The field encompasses more mature technologies, like small molecule organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and electrophoretic displays, in addition to emerging technologies, like electrochromic and electrofluidic displays.

Key points:
OLED materials and equipment have a headstart over emerging technologies like electrochromic and electrofluidic displays, thanks to the sucess of OLED displays in mobile displays and soon televisions. Notable players include materials developers like Universal Display Corporation (UDC) and Novaled, in addition to equipment makers like Kateeva.

E Ink stands out for its technical value –technology and IP — and business execution — strong partnerships and management. E Ink has a nearly 100% market share of the electrophoretic (as seen in the Amazon.com Kindle) market.

For more on high-potential technologies, like reflective and flexible display technologies, and the companies in these eco systems, read the blog post, "Lux Innovation Grid Highlights Viable Partners for Display Developers" at http://www.luxresearchinc.com/blog/2011/12/lux-innovation-grid-highlights-viable-partners-for-display-developers/

Visit the new Displays Manufacturing Channel on ElectroIQ.com!

BUSINESS WIRE — The fast-growing media tablet market is dominated by Apple, Amazon.com, and Samsung Electronics. A select set of semiconductor and display suppliers will benefit from the growth and competition in tablets, shows Turner Investments.

As these competitors vie for consumers, substantial financial rewards may come to tablet component suppliers ARM Holdings, Atmel, Broadcom, Cirrus Logic, Corning, Qualcomm, and SanDisk.

"As competition and innovation heat up, the tablet comes of age," from Tara Hedlund, portfolio manager/global security analyst; Dan Hirsch, global security analyst; Mike Lozano, global security analyst; Chris McHugh, vice chairman and senior portfolio manager; and Bob Turner, chairman and chief investment officer is available at http://www.turnerinvestments.com/SectorFocus.

Turner, an investment firm based in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, publishes Sector Focus commentaries monthly as part of the continuing efforts of its five teams of security analysts to monitor market sectors for its growth-stock portfolios.

Subscribe to Solid State Technology

January 6, 2012 — Organic light emitting diode (OLED) manufacturing advanced rapidly in 2011, making gains in organic materials, color patterning, electronic driving methods, and encapsulation, shows the NPD DisplaySearch OLED Technology Report. This trend will continue through the decade.

OLEDs are a solid-state technology for displays, lighting, and organic electronics.

Organic materials have efficacies from <10 to nearly 100cd/A. Large efficiency increases have been obtained with phosphorescent materials, especially in red and green.

Nearly all AMOLED displays are made using thermal evaporation through a fine metal mask (FMM) for color patterning. However, this method has low material utilization and is limited to small substrate sizes. Manufacturing processes with higher material utilization and better uniformity, such as linear and area sources, are likely to be adopted. Other color patterning methods, such as white with color filter and solution-processed materials, are also evolving and ready to be adopted for mass production in larger generation fabs.

OLED lighting gained momentum in 2011, and is forecast to reach revenues of approximately $6 billion by 2018.

OLED display revenues are estimated above $4 billion in 2011, approximately 4% of flat panel display revenues. This will top $20 billion, or approximately 16% of the total display industry, by 2018. OLED displays have a mass market in small/medium applications, such as smartphones.

OLED displays can provide high contrast ratio, fast response time, wide color gamut, and wide viewing angle, while operating in a broad temperature range at low power consumption. In addition, OLED technology enables thin, flexible displays and transparent devices.

Scaling OLED display manufacturing beyond the Gen 5.5 fabs is yet to be accomplished, and the cost factor with larger OLED displays is yet to be determined, the report shows. Samsung Mobile Displays and LG Display have plans for Gen 8 (2200 × 2500mm) OLED fabs. Investments in Gen 8 fabs indicate that AMOLED will compete in larger size applications, such as in TV and mobile PCs, within two years, Strategy Analytics predicts.

Other suppliers — AUD, CMI, IRICO, Tianma, BOE — are entering or re-entering the OLED fab sector. OLED display technology, which operates through direct emission, "has made good progress and is ready to enter large-size applications, but low-cost manufacturing for large sizes is still a challenge," said Jennifer Colegrove, PhD, VP of emerging display technologies for NPD DisplaySearch.

While nearly all AMOLEDs on the market are currently based on LTPS, several companies are developing AMOLEDs using oxide or a-Si TFT backplanes, and are likely to start production in 2012.

Table. LTPS, a-Si, and Oxide TFT for AMOLED. Source: NPD DisplaySearch OLED Technology Report.
Characteristic LTPS
 a-Si Oxide TFT
Electron mobility Excellent: 10-500 cm²/VS Poor: 0.5 cm²/VS Good: 1-40 cm²/VS
Uniformity Poor Excellent Good with amorphous type;
poor with crystalline type
Stability Excellent Poor Poor
Scalable Limited to <40” Excellent, >100” Potential to 100”
Process temp High: >400°C Typical ~300°C,
some low temp process can be 150°C		 Typical ~200°C,
but some anneal at 350°C
Cost High Low Medium
Availability Yes: MP Demo for AMOLED; Announced by
RiTdisplay and IGNIS; MP late 2011		 Demo for AMOLED;
MP estimated in 2012
Challenges Uniformity, cost, scalability Poor mobility; poor stability Threshold voltage unstable; manufacturing process not mature

The 5NPD DisplaySearch OLED Technology Report provides a detailed discussion on the rapid growth and adoption of OLED technology: historical data on OLED technology, organic material development, electronic driving types (passive matrix, LTPS TFT, a-Si TFT, Oxide TFT, organic TFT, etc.), color patterning methods, capacity analysis and a market forecast through 2018. It includes analysis on solutions for the bottleneck in mass production for OLED color patterning. This report also discusses the current status of the OLED industry, developers in each region, and new opportunities. NPD DisplaySearch is a market research and consulting firm specializing in the display supply chain, as well as the emerging photovoltaic/solar cell industries. For more information on NPD DisplaySearch analysts, reports and industry events, visit http://www.displaysearch.com/.

Visit the new Displays Manufacturing Channel on ElectroIQ.com!