February 2021

Global digital signage solution provider STRATACACHE is constructing the first US-based complete display production facility in Eugene, Oregon. The future MicroLED E4 fab is planned to commence production in 2022, and the fab will be a complete microLED production line, from epiwafer (on 300 mm silicon wafers), through transfer process and to final module assembly.

This project is extremely interesting, and we set out to discuss it with STRATACACHE's founder and CEO, Chris Riegel. At STRATACACHE, Chris leads strategic direction, technology development and engineering operations, and the MicroLED fab project seems to be personally spearheaded by him.

Austria-based C SEED announced a new MicroLED TV, the 165-inch 4K C SEED M1. This TV uses a unique foldable design, which makes use of seven large MicroLED panels that can be unfolded and be inserted into the floor.

Unfortunately C SEED does not detail much about the display itself, or who produces the MicroLED tiles. The price is around $400,000.

High-precision 3D sensing developer CyberOptics Corporation reported its financial results for Q4 2020 - revenues were $16.9 million, pretty much unchanged from Q4 2019, while net income was $1.5 million. For the full-year 2020, revenues were $70.1 million and the net income was $5.7 million.

CyberOptics reported $600,000 in sales of SQ3000 Multi-Function systems for MicroLED inspection in the quarter, and $4.6 million in full-year sales. The company anticipates more orders for MicroLED systems throughout 2021 and believes that microLED inspection and metrology applications present significant long-term growth opportunities.

This is a sponsored post by Radiant Vision Systems

Introduction

MicroLEDs (micro-LEDs, mLEDs, or μLEDs) continue to demonstrate performance advantages for displays, ushering in a new generation of backlit and direct-view illumination technology. MicroLED displays consist of an array of microscopic LEDs (light emitting diodes) that form the display’s individual subpixel elements. This inorganic emissive technology offers many benefits over rival display technologies, including higher brightness and contrast, wider color gamut, and higher pixel density. MicroLEDs enable improved visual performance in ambient-light conditions, from total darkness to full daylight and when viewed from multiple viewing angles. These qualities make microLEDs especially attractive for applications such as mobile phones and watches, augmented- and mixed-reality (AR/MR) headsets, automotive display panels, and digital signage. 

Challenges associated with manufacturing high-quality microLED panels continue to hinder production efficiency and must be addressed before manufacturers can achieve commercially viable microLED display products. Producing displays with the level of visual quality customers expect while keeping component and production costs low demands quality control solutions that reduce waste while increasing yield of acceptable displays.

Singapore-based electronics assembly solutions provider Kulicke & Soffa announced that it has acquired Uniqarta, a US-based developer of MicroLED placement technology.

Uniqarta developed a unique LED die transfer technology that uses ultra-fast lasers to enable contactless LED de-bonding and placement solution. Uniqarta's technology is branded as Laser-Enabled Advanced Placement, or LEAP).

Seoul Viosys says that the company expects to receive its first microLED revenues in Q2 2021. The company, together with Seoul Semiconductors, developed a new MicroLED technology, called Micro Clean LED that basically packages three separate LEDs (red, green and blue) into a single "one-single MicroLED pixel".

The idea is that these packaged colored pixels will be easier to transfer to the target substrate compared to the transfer of three different LEDs. The package itself does not contain any driver ICs.

MicroLED display technology developer X Display Company (XDC) announced that it installed the world's first 300 mm elastomer stamp based mass MicroLED transfer equipment late in 2020. This tool was installed in the US and the company hopes to start shipping several similar tools for its customers later in 2021.

XDC spun out of X-celeprint in 2019 and retained the equipment organization from that transaction. XDC has over 15 years of experience with mass transfer micro printing technologies, and is offering a range of tools for microLED transfer, suitable for R&D work and industrial-scale production.