Taiwan-based PlayNitride was established in June 2014 to research and develop Nitride related materials and applications. The fabless company is now focusing on GaN based MicroLEDs.
PlayNitride developed its own microLED epiwafer production process (using Aixtron's G5+ MOCVD systems), its own stamp-based transfer technology and also its own repair technology (SMAR.Tech).
PlayNitride started to sample micro-LED at the end of 2017, and in May 2018 PlayNitride demonstrated its first Micro-LED prototypes. PlayNitride has a pilot production facility at Hsinchu Science Park. In 2020 PlayNitride started constructing a second production line that will start mass producing in H2 2021.
PlayNitride is collaborating with many companies, including AU Optronics, TCL's CSoT, Samsung, RiTDisplay and Tianma. In November 2023, AUO announced that PlayNitride will build a 6-inch microLED production line at AUO's Longtan factory in a $21.5 million agreement. In September 2023 PlayNitride announced it is increasing its production capacity, and by the end of the year it will be able to produce 10,000 6" wafers per month up from about 2,000.
In 2022, the company went public and it now trades at the Taiwan Stock Exchange’s Taiwan Innovation Board.
No.13, Kezhong Rd.
Zhunan Township, Miaoli County 350401
Taiwan
Samsung aims to start producing real microLED TVs in 2020, partners with Epistar and PlayNitride
Digitimes reports that Samsung Electronics has partnered with Taiwan-based Epistar to supply the Korean display maker with micro-LED chips, as it aims to release its first microLED TVs in H2 2020.
According to Digitimes, Epistar will work together with PlayNitride to supply the microLEDs. Epistar is an investor in PlayNitride. Digitimes says that PlayNitride is currently producing over 1,000 6" microLED wafers per month, and is aiming to increase its production capacity to 10,000 monthly wafer this year.
ITRI demonstrates a 16.7" tiled microLED display produced directly on PCB backplanes
Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) demonstrated a 16.7" microLED display "module" that was produced by directly mass transferring micro-LED chips onto a PCB backplane.
ITRI developed its own mass transfer tech, and uses microLEDs provided by PlayNitride, PCB backplanes provided by Unimicron and drivers and assembly by Macroblock. The 16.7" display is made by tiling 15 modules 6x10 cm each (45,000 LEDs). The microLEDs are
RitDisplay announces it is shifting its focus from PMOLED to MicroLED displays
In May 2019 PMOLED display maker RiTDisplay announced a strategic partnership and share swap with MicroLED developer PlayNitride, and RiT later said it aims to release its first product to the market in 2020.
RiT announced today that its revenues for the year (to date) were $47.1 million USD - a decrease of 32.4% compared to last year. The company's CEO says that its PMOLED sales has been affected by e-cigarette bans in the US, and the company is now shifting its focus to develop micro LED displays (and also mini-LED ones).
PlayNitride qualifies its AIX G5+ C MOCVD system, places a follow-up order for another system
In January 2019 Aixtron and PlayNitride signed a joint-collaboration agreement to accelerate Micro-LED development and PlayNitride ordered an AIX G5+ C MOCVD system. Aixtron announced that the AIX G5+ C system is now fully qualified for production - and Playnitride placed a follow-up order for a second such system.
Aixtron says that the G5+ C is an advanced advanced production tool that offers market leading wavelength uniformity to meet the tightened Micro LED market specifications in a batch reactor high-throughput environment. The system allows for the lowest defect and particle level in the industry due to an effective in-situ cleaning technology and the cassette-to-cassette handler which is essential for high yields. The G5+ C MOCVD was also recently ordered by Plessey for its own GaN-on-Silicon Micro-LED development and production.
RiTDisplay announces it will launch its first MicroLED displays in 2020
Taiwan-based PMOLED display maker RiTDisplay announced that it plans to launch its first MicroLED displays in 2020. RiTDisplay aims to mass produce wearable displays and hopes for receive meaningful revenues already in 2020.
In May 2019 RiTDisplay announced a strategic partnership and share swap with MicroLED developer PlayNitride. In June 2019 it was reported that a US-based smartwatch brand will start a design process in Q3 2019 using a micro-LED display that was co-developed by RiTDisplay and PlayNitride. RiT was reportedly to start shipping samples in Q4 2019.
PlayNitride places follow-up order for Evatec's automated thin-film production tools
Switzerland-based deposition equipment maker Evatec has secured a 2nd order for automated thin-film production tools from microLED developer PlayNitride. The equipment will enable PlayNitride's microLED production ramp-up.
Evatec says that PlayNitride first ordered its cassette-to-cassete production tool in 2017.
PlayNitride aims to raise a further $100 million for microLED display volume production in 2020
In July 2019 Taiwan-based microLED developer PlayNitride raised $50 million to start trial production of microLED displays. The company now says it seeks to raise over $100 million more as it will require large funds to initiate mass production.
PlayNitride is considering several production models - from constructing its own production lines, through a joint-venture with strategic partners to the licensing of its technology. The main goal of the company is to start production as soon as possible. The company hopes mass production can begin by the end of 2020.
PlayNitride raises $50 million, will start trial production of microLED chips by the end of August 2019
Digitimes reports that PlayNitride raised $50 million and is ready to start trial production of micro-LED chips by the end of August 2019. PlayNitride will increase its headcount by 100 employees.
PlayNitride told Digitimes that it achieved a yield rate of 99.9% in its LED transfer (pick-and-place) process. Using mass repair technologies, the company is certain it can achieve commercial viability of its process. The company's mass transfer speed is 10,000 chips per second. This means that for a Full-HD (1920x1080) display it will take just over 10 minutes to transfer the LED chips. A 4K display will take just over 40 minutes.
Will PlayNitride and RiTDisplay supply Apple with MicroLED displays for future Watch devices?
According to Taiwan's Economic News Daily, PlayNitride and RiTDisplay are in talks with Apple to supply microLED displays for Apple's next-generation Watch wearable.
These are just rumors at this stage, but END says that PlayNitride confirms it is in talks with US customers regarding a 3" full-color Micro-LED display. This interesting as this is not a display we are used to see in most mobile devices - wearables are usually limited to around 1.5" while smartphones today start at around 6".
See PlayNitride's latest flexible and transparent MicroLED prototypes
PlayNitride demonstrated its latest Micro-LED displays at SID DisplayWeek 2019, and the following recently-published video shows the company's booth and prototypes:
So first up we have a 7.56" 720x480 (114 PPI) transparent MicroLED display, which looks very impressive. This is the same Micro-LED display that TianMa demonstrated at its own booth. Interestingly, under direct light from it seems that the display is made from tiles - but PlayNitride says that the squares are made from the stamping process, and the company is developing technology that will remove these marks.
