Micro LED Revolution Begins in 2019 as Manufacturers Tackle Mass Transfer

[cageymaru]

According to Digitimes, the only thing holding back the commercialization of micro LED displays is the technology needed for mass transfer. "When describing a chemical or physical mechanism, mass transfer is a type of transporting phenomenon which signifies that a large number of points (molecules or particles) are moved from one end to another. This can occur in one stage or multiple stages, and it involves a liquid or a gas phase. It also sometimes occurs in solid matter." In the case of micro LED displays, mass transfer connotes the process of taking large amounts of "micron-grade LED chips, and place them on a target substrate or circuit using high-precision equipment." The Leading LED Tech article gives an example of this in regards to a 4K television. "For example, for 4K televisions, as many as 24 million particles (4,000 x x RGB three color calculation) must be transferred, and even if 10,000 pieces are transferred at a time, this process needs to be repeated 2,400 times."

Compared with LCD panels, micro LED panels feature a simpler structure in manufacturing, much higher luminous efficacy, higher resolution, more ruggedness, transparency and flexibility. Sony has begun production of large-size micro LED displays at very high costs and Samsung Electronics will possibly launch micro LED TVs at year-end 2019. For the micro LED supply chain, Asia-based makers are expected to dominate production of epitaxial wafers and chips as well as TFT and Si-based back planes, whereas US- and Europe-based ones have seen faster progress in mass transfer R&D.

 

[KazeoHin]

I can't wait to not be able to afford this!

 

[DejaWiz]

I can't wait to not be able to afford this!

Give it 20 years, and the 17" models will drop into that price realm!

 

[Snowdog]

Give it 20 years, and the 17" models will drop into that price realm!

Yep. This still has to build millions of individual semiconductor LEDs, regardless of how you transfer them, this is going to be VERY expensive.

Many time more than OLED, which can be done with what amounts to modified ink jet printer tech, to apply the OLED material.

 

[defaultluser]

Yeah, nicroLED still needs MULTIPLE major breakthroughs in manufacturing to come anywhere near the cost and density of OLED, and I just don't see that happening in our lifetimes.

Especially with OLEDs continuing to advance, now that multiple panel makers have thrown their hat in, and kicked-off mass-production.

The reason why OLED has pursued over this tech is because it was so much more promising. Even with all the blue lifetime issues, and burn-in.

 

[Verge]

and I just don't see that happening in our lifetimes.

Considering 30 years ago there was no www, and i'm hoping to live at least another 30-45 years, i would speculate this either becomes a reality, or a better technology does in it's place.

 

[defaultluser]

Considering 30 years ago there was no www, and i'm hoping to live at least another 30-45 years, i would speculate this either becomes a reality, or a better technology does in it's place.

I'm just saying, there are a lot of "promising" panel techs that end-up stillborn, once they try to get out the test lab door and into the real world. The costs to continue the path of development goes up astronomically. Remember when they were going to turn CRT technology into individually emissivie pixels on a flat panel? Yeah, that died with hardly a word.

If OLED hits it's stride within the next five years, it could kill MicroLED before it even builds-up momentum. Much like LED-backlit LCD with overdrive killed CED before it got anywhere.

 

[Snowdog]

Considering 30 years ago there was no www, and i'm hoping to live at least another 30-45 years, i would speculate this either becomes a reality, or a better technology does in it's place.

Yeah, I tend to use "not in the foreseeable future" a lot, and for tech that is about 5 years.

I think it is pretty safe to predict that microled won't be affordable in the next 5 years at anything larger than smartphone size.

 

[Verge]

Yeah, I tend to use "not in the foreseeable future" a lot, and for tech that is about 5 years.

I think it is pretty safe to predict that microled won't be affordable in the next 5 years at anything larger than smartphone size.

yea very unlikely, look how long it took for oled.