Category Archives: LEDs

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/.

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January 6, 2011 – BusinessWire — Materion Microelectronics & Services, a unit of Materion Corporation (NYSE:MTRN), expanded its Wheatfield, NY facility, adding 50% more space with a fully automated robotic twin wire arc spray, increased precious metal refining capacity, new cleaning processes, and a Class 10,000-certified cleanroom. The site provides precision parts cleaning and surface treatment of physical vapor deposition (PVD) shield kits.

The NY facility serves manufacturers of LEDs, wireless products and other semiconductors, photovoltaics, medical consumables, and other products.

The fully automated robotic twin wire arc spray applies an under-layer surface coating to parts after they have been cleaned and the precious metals recovered. The coating enhances surface roughness, increasing adhesion in the vacuum chamber, so that more material is deposited and fewer random particles end up on the product. This increases the process lifetime of shielding used in particulate-sensitive processes. Each part is individually programmed into the system for precise, consistent coating. After the part has been used and returned to Materion, the under-layer coating can be quickly and easily removed for cleaning. See a video of the process: http://materion.com/Businesses/MicroelectronicsandServices/Related-NSE/TwinWireArcSprayVideo.aspx

After cleaning, all parts pass through various inspections and testing for dimensional tolerances and complete cleanliness. Parts are returned to PVD users ready to be installed into thin film chambers for deposition.

Materion also has precision parts cleaning facilities in Ireland and the Czech Republic, and is always considering additional locations and services. Materion is a vertically integrated global provider of thin film deposition materials, precision parts cleaning services, and precious metal recovery and refining. Materion Corporation, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, supplies highly engineered advanced enabling materials to global markets. Products include precious and non-precious specialty metals, inorganic chemicals and powders, specialty coatings, specialty engineered beryllium alloys, beryllium and beryllium composites, and engineered clad and plated metal systems. Website: http://www.materion.com.

January 5, 2012 — US FPD Smart Displays — From Emerging to Mainstream, taking place February 28-29 in San Diego, CA, will feature forecasts and analysis from DisplaySearch and In-Stat analysts, as well as presentations from smart display industry executives.

Sessions preview:

Advancing Smart Display Technologies covers the transition to higher pixel densities at larger panel sizes, the future of OLEDs in larger displays, the impact of oxide TFT development, and the issues of power consumption and sunlight readability on mobile devices.

Interactivity — New User Interfaces for Smart Displays looks beyond keyboards and remote controls to the next generation of smart display interaction: touch, and its alternatives like intelligent assistance from gesture and voice. It will address what level of automation is required, but acceptable for users.

Connectivity — Controlling and Acquiring Devices and Content  considers the connectivity requirement: simple, fast and reliable access to the Internet and/or other devices. Issues include standards and technologies for Internet connectivity, such as compressed wireless and uncompressed wireless for various display sizes and streaming bandwidths.

Content and Apps for Smart Displays focuses on how content drives device functionality. How does the form factor for Smart Displays influence content acquisition and manipulation? Ultimately, does the content drive the device selection process or vice versa?

Smart Phones and Tablets: Extending the TV and Competing with the TV looks at the hot display category of smartphones/tablets and how they affect traditional home media consumption like TV. Interactivity is currently evolving, and the next step is uncertain. The session will examine networked home environments, and the overlap of TV and smartphone/tablet consumers.

TV of the Future considers why TVs are one of the last devices to become “Smart.” Topics include consumer expectations, price points, content, players in traditional and non-traditional realms, and the enabling technologies for smart TVs like voice and gesture technology.

What Features will Future Smart Displays Require? is dedicated to the sensors, audio components, microprocessors, and other hardware that will enable smart display functionalities. The highly diverse universe of Internet and mobile content require advanced rendering and scaling technologies, with greater pixel density.

Register for US FPD Smart Displays — From Emerging to Mainstream at http://www.cvent.com/events/2012-displaysearch-us-fpd/event-summary-333ee09ebd024cb1926df8864efb5e6e.aspx

January 5, 2012 — Barclays Capital forecasts 2012 as a "subdued year" for the light-emitting diode (LED) industry, plagued by overcapacity, average selling price (ASP) pressures, and only gradual growth in LED lighting demand.

Metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) tool demand will decrease from around 700 systems in 2011 to about 400 in 2012 and 440 in 2013. Depite the lack of an overall MOCVD tool replacement cycle, there is some economic support for pulling out very early generation, fully depreciated MOCVD tools (e.g. Veeco’s E-300 and K-300, Aixtron’s CCS and G3) and replacing them with the latest Maxbrights and CRIUS II-XL, Barclays predicts, adding that makers in Korea and Taiwan have been seen making this switch.

Also read: LED fab trends: Capex decline, cost-effective fab key

Tool utilization levels at Korean fabs are hovering between 50 and 60%. Utilization in Taiwan facilities is between 50 and 70%; Chinese LED makers are using less than 30% of capacity, Barclays estimates. Utilization levels at Tier 1 LED makers — Cree, OSRAM, and Lumileds — appear to be higher at ~70-80%.

Top 10 LED themes of 2012, from Barclays Capital:

1) MOCVD tool upgrades could add an incremental revenue stream for equipment suppliers, despite weak capital expenditures from LED makers. The revenue opportunity for upgrades ranges from ~$200K for simple upgrades to ~$1.5M if the customer is reconfiguring the tool and changing the gas chambers.

2) MOCVD tool replacement is unlikely to grow. Gradual improvements in LED fab yields, coupled with slow-growing end-market demand, will delay large-scale expansions. Used/unpackaged tools remain unattractive to Tier 1 and 2 LED makers, though some MOCVD equipment vendors will work with key customers on refurbishing such tools, pulling out contaminated parts, upgrading them, and again placing them under warranty.

3) Gallium nitride (GaN)/Silicon carbide (SiC) power electronics will be a small, growing application for MOCVD equipment. STMicroelectronics (STM), Infineon, Analog Devices and other analog names are buying tools from AIXTRON and Veeco. See also: Power semiconductors to see modest growth in 2012

4) Despite entries from Applied Materials (AMAT counts Samsung, Silan, Toshiba, TSMC, Micron, and IMEC among its MOCVD customers), Chinese companies, and others, the main MOCVD tool suppliers will remain AIXTRON and Veeco, with 90% of the MOCVD market. These 2 will see a boost from the upgrades mentionned in #1.

5) M&A potential exists for the tool makers, though Barclays suggests AMAT is not able to swallow up any large LED tool providers due to its semiconductor-space acquisition, VSEA, of 2011.

6) Incandescent bulb bans will be instated in the US and Europe, though this is not likely to drive 2012 demand, given the available stock of incandescents remaining. LED bulbs will really catch on in Japan.

7) LED component/luminaire price declines will make the payback period for non-residential projects much more attractive. Barclays estimates that LED chip/component ASPs declined 30-40% in 2011, depending on the applications.

8) China LED demand growth will likely fall in-line with the overall market, despite possible government subsidies. There is no sign yet of the speculated 8B Yuan subsidy from the central government being deployed.

9) LED lighting penetration will steadily ramp, with the associated revenue growth for LED component suppliers being more muted due to ASP pressure.

10) China will continue to lag on the LED manufacturing quality front; Korea will make more noticeable advances. The quality of LED output from Chinese players continues to trail the Tier 1 LED makers by several years. Output from the Korean LED suppliers — Samsung, Seoul Semi, LG Innotek — has been improving, reports Barclays. Given Samsung and LG’s vertical integration and aggressive push downstream, they could be meaningful threats to the traditional Tier 1 LED makers Cree, Osram, Nichia, and Lumileds.

January 5, 2012 — Nocilis Materials, a spin-out from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH, Sweden), opened its silicon foundry service globally. Nocilis Materials AB provides epitaxy service of advanced Si-Ge-Sn-C alloys for both electronic and photonic applications.

The foundry supplies advanced Si-based composed materials, with niches in IR & THz uncooled detectors and thermoelectric structures based on group IV materials. Its epitaxy services are based on RPCVD and epitaxy layers are provided on 4”, 6” and 8” substrates.

Details:

  • P-, As- and B-doped Si and SiGeSnC layers (doping level of 1015-1019 cm-3 in Si but for Si alloys depends on the material design)
  • Selective epitaxy of doped and undoped SiGeC layers on patterned substrates
  • Multilayer structures (superlattices) of Si-or Ge-based materials
  • Ge (unstrained) on Si
  • Compressive and tensile strained SiGe layers
  • Strained Si on relaxed SiGe layers
  • Tensile strained Ge layers (on-going)

Further services can be provided for material characterization of epitaxial films:

  • High-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM). Planar and cross-sectional view
  • High-resolution x-ray diffraction (HRXRD):
  • Reciprocal lattice mapping (RLM), grazing angle measurement, strain measurement and layer profile over the substrate area. These analyses will provide the interfacial roughness, composition, strain amount (in-plane and perpendicular to the plane).

Nocilis Materials AB uses silicon epitaxy – and characterization equipment. Web: www.nocilismaterials.com.

January 4, 2011 — AIXTRON SE (FSE:AIXA, NASDAQ:AIXG) delivered multiple AIX G5 HT metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) reactors to existing customer Nantong Tongfang in China.

The reactors, in 56 x 2" and 14 x 4" configurations, will be used to grow high-brightness light-emitting diodes (HB-LEDs). The Tsinghua Tongfang Group required the reactors for a capacity expansion of HB-LED production, said Mr. Wang, VP of the Group. The company already has 2 existing AIX 2800G4 systems. Mr. Wang cited reliability, cost-effectiveness, and service as reasons for choosing AIXTRON MOCVD systems.

Also read: LEDs and a MOCVD bubble: We’ve only just begun

Nantong Tongfang placed the order in Q1 2011; systems were delivered through Q2-Q4. A local AIXTRON support team will install and commission the new reactors in state-of-the-art cleanrooms at the China factory.

AIXTRON SE is a leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry. Learn more at www.aixtron.com.

December 29, 2011 — The updated IEST "Garment System Considerations for Cleanrooms and Other Controlled Environments" recommended practice document includes new sections on measuring cleanroom footwear, frocks and other garments, as well as a new subsection for tracking system use, such as RFID chips and barcodes.

A new edition of IEST-RP-CC003.4, Garment System Considerations for Cleanrooms and Other Controlled Environments, includes a 20-page supplement on recommended garment measurement specifications. The supplement, Guide to Measuring Cleanroom Garments, provides illustrated instructions for measuring coveralls, frocks, hoods, and footwear.

The revised Recommended Practice (RP) is published by the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology (IEST).

Also read: ISO Cleanroom standards update

IEST-RP-CC003.4 addresses the gowning of personnel as a critical aspect of cleanroom contamination control. Specification and use of an appropriate gowning system is essential in preventing human-generated contamination from reaching and affecting product or processes in the cleanroom. The RP provides non-mandatory guidance for the selection, specification, maintenance, and testing of garments or apparel and accessories appropriate for use in non-aseptic and aseptic environments.

The RP defines required performance criteria, test methods, and procedures for gowning system use and maintenance. It also features guidelines for developing a quality control (QC) plan for the apparel and accessories that may be part of the system. This edition includes a new subsection on the use of advanced tracking systems, such as barcodes and radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips, to monitor garment service life. Also provided is a section describing types of fabrics and relevant properties and methods of testing of the materials used in cleanroom garments, as well as the design and construction of appropriate configurations and special features of such garments.

Appendix B explains the Helmke drum test method, introduced in an earlier edition of the RP and based on round-robin testing performed by the IEST Working Group. This method is used to quantify particles dislodged through the application of mechanical energy under dry conditions as a means of simulating particle shedding from the surface of the garment during use. Garments being tested are tumbled in a rotating drum to release particles from the fabric in a controlled manner, while a discrete-particle counter is used to sample the air within the drum.

Ordering information for IEST-RP-CC003.4 and other IEST publications is available at www.iest.org.

IEST is an international not-for-profit technical society of engineers, scientists, and educators that serves its members and the industries they represent (simulating, testing, controlling, and teaching the environments of earth and space) through education and the development of recommended practices and standards. IEST is an ANSI-accredited standards-developing organization; Secretariat of ISO/TC 209 Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments; Administrator of the ANSI-accredited US TAG to ISO/TC 209; and a founding member of the ANSI-accredited US TAG to ISO/TC 229 Nanotechnologies.

December 28, 2011 — Maxim Group, in its equity research on light emitting diode (LED) sector companies, finds that competition and demand strategies will push LED prices lower in the near future, and the capital expenditures surge of 2010-2011 is giving way to a tool spending downturn.

LED prices are poised to drop ~30% per year in response to demand elasticity strategies meant to drive market penetration. Another price-reducing factor is LED maker competition; LED makers will need to take their production costs lower to maintain profitability. Maxim Group asserts that higher efficiencies, transitions to larger (6") wafers, and lower-cost materials will improve production costs.

Technology and intellectual property (IP) rights are the LED maker’s barrier to price-only-based competition in key markets of Europe, the US, and Japan, as LED technology is still in its nascent years, notes Maxim Group.

LED manufacturing equipment companies will see a drought in new orders in 2012 and 2013. This downturn follows a burst of capex for LED makers in 2010 and 2011. While LED lighting growth will likely eventually drive a reinvestment cycle, Maxim believes metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) tool orders at Aixtron (AIXG) and Veeco (VECO) are likely to fall (45-50%) in 2012.

Also read: LEDs and a MOCVD bubble: We’ve only just begun

December 19, 2011 — Strategies in Light Europe 2012, September 18-20 in Munich, Germany, is accepting abstracts through February 17. The Strategies in Light Europe conference and exhibition covers the rapidly growing LED lighting industry.
 
Papers should describe or demonstrate efforts to improve quality and performance of LED lighting, activities that help accelerate the market adoption of LED lighting, and results from real-world LED lighting applications and installations.

Papers will be selected by the SIL Europe Advisory Board on the basis of technical content, audience interest and industry relevance. Papers with an overt marketing/sales/commercial subject will be rejected. Please do not submit presentations that are scheduled to be presented at other LED-related conferences.

Suggested subject areas include:

Applications

  • Market growth and outlook, penetration of LEDs into key applications, barriers to further market penetration
  • Case studies of specific installations: cost and performance analysis, user feedback, lessons learned 
  • Requirements and perspectives from lighting designers, specifiers, architects and other end-users

Supply chain and LED manufacturing

  • Supply and demand, capacity constraints, availability of materials and equipment
  • Advanced chip design and lower-cost manufacturing; epitaxial growth and processing
  • Luminaire design: role of thermal management, advanced packaging & optical concepts 
  • Advances in LED cost, performance, lifetime and reliability

Market transformation

  • Regional- and country-specific activities to promote LED lighting
  • European activities to develop high-quality LED lighting products
  • Quality control and labelling programs
  • Customer awareness and acceptance, incentives and subsidies
  • Funding from governments and investment community
  • Standards development and implementation 
  • EU Directives: development and impact on LED market

Technology

  • Color quality metrics, optical safety, test & measurement
  • Development of OLEDs and other competing lighting technologies
  • Drivers, and dimming & control networks 
  • Replaceable modules and light engines

In submitting an abstract you are indicating your availability and willingness to attend and present a paper at Strategies in Light Europe 2011, if selected, and to comply with all deadlines. Please ensure that the speaker and author details you are providing when submitting your abstract are correct as these will be used for pre-event marketing purposes.

For information/assistance on submitting an abstract for the Call for Papers, please contact: Emily Pryor, Conference manager, Tel: +44 (0) 1992 656 614. Submit an abstract here: http://www.sileurope.com/conference.html
 
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