Plessey launches new segmented microLED microdisplays

UK-based GaN-On-Si MicroLED microdisplay developer Plessey Semiconductor announced a new microLED segmented microdisplay platform, which it calls Direct-Drive. Such displays can be used in applications that require high brightness, low power - and a simple display that is not dot-matrix but segmented.

Plessey Direct-Drive concept image

Plessey says that its native green segments can emit 2 million units, and the total input power can be only 250 mW (probably for a monochrome green display, it is not clear). The Direct-Drive displays will be available in a size of less than 5x5 mm, will include a small size rechargeable battery and include Bluetooth, USB, UART, I2C and SDI interfaces/protocols.

Read the full story Posted: Sep 29,2019

Plessey developed a 2.5-micron pitch MicroLED microdisplay

UK-based GaN-On-Si MicroLED microdisplay developer Plessey Semiconductor announced that it has developed a 2.5-micron pitch display, improving on its previous 8-micron pitch display it has demonstrated in May 2019 at SID DisplayWeek.

Plessey 2.5-micron pitch microLED microdisplay photo

The new display sports a 2000x2000 resolution and is a monochrome blue display. Plessey says that in early 2020 (during CES 2020, in fact) it will demonstrate a full RGB display on one wafer.

Read the full story Posted: Sep 23,2019

Plessey signs a long-term Micro-LED display supply agreement with Vuzix

In June 2018, UK-based GaN-on-Si MicroLED developer Plessey Semiconductor and AR developer Vuzix announced a partnership to develop advanced Micro-LED display engines for Vuzix waveguide optics to enable next generation AR Smart Glasses by 2019. Today Plessey announced it has entered into a long-term micro-LED supply agreement with Vuzix.

The new agreement will support the development and production of next-generation AR products that utilize Plessey's micro-LED light source. Vuzix say that the agreement includes an exclusive display device design.

Read the full story Posted: May 16,2019

Plessey and JDC demonstrate a Full-HD monolithic micro-LED microdisplay

In 2018, UK-based GaN-on-Si MicroLED developer Plessey Semiconductor announced a strategic partnership with Taiwan's s Jasper Display Corp (JDC). Under the partnership, Plessey will use JDC's silicon backplane to drive its monolithic micro-LED displays.

Today JDC and Plessey demonstrated the world's first GaN-on-Silicon monolithic full-HD (1920x1080) microLED bonded display. Plessey says that it has succeeded in wafer level bonding of its GaN-on-Silicon monolithic microLED wafers with JDC’s eSP70 silicon patented backplane technology, resulting in microLED displays that contain addressable LEDs. The pixel pitch of this display is 8 microns and the JDC backplane provides independent 10-bit single color control of each pixel.

Read the full story Posted: May 14,2019

Plessey developed a process to produce native GaN-on-Si green micro-LEDs

UK-based GaN-on-Si MicroLED developer Plessey Semiconductor developed its proprietary 2D planar gallium nitride on silicon (GaN-on-Si) process to emit Green light without the need for color conversion techniques.

Plessey native GaN-on-Si green micro LEDs photo

Plessey says that its native Green LEDs are formed inherently using its proprietary GaN-on-Si epitaxial growth process similar to the native Blue LEDs with the principal difference coming in the amount of indium that is incorporated in the quantum well structures of the LED. The native Green emission is orders of magnitude times brighter than color-converted process for micro-LEDs.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 29,2019

Plessey to integrate Nanoco's quantum-dots into its micro-LED displays

UK-based GaN-on-Si MicroLED developer Plessey Semiconductor announced a partnership with Quantum Dots developer Nanoco. Plessey aims to integrate Nanoco's cadmium-free quantum dots into its micro-LED displays.

Using a quantum-dot coating, Plessey will be able to use only blue micro-LEDs in its microdisplays, and convert the blue light to red and green to create full-color displays (in a similar way to today's QD-enhanced LCD displays). Plessey says that this design will enable it reduce its pixel pitch from 30 μm to just 4 μm, a reduction of 87%. The QD-enhanced micro-LEDs will also have a wide color gamut and will be more energy efficient compared to Plessey's current phosphor-based architecture.

Read the full story Posted: Jan 03,2019

Plessey's Micro-LED display technology has been named a CES 2019 Innovation Awards Honoree

UK-based GaN-on-Si MicroLED developer Plessey Semiconductor announced that it has been named a CES 2019 Innovation Awards Honoree in the Embedded Technologies category for its monolithic microLED displays.

GaN-on-Silicon wafer with monolithic 1080p microLED arrays (Plessey)

Plessey developed a unique monolithic micro-LED process technology that can be used to produce Micro-LED displays without a pick-and-place stage. Plessey develops two generations of micro-LED displays. The first-gen Quanta-Brite are either LCoS or DMR display that are lit by an array of micro-LEDs, which Plessey says provide a more efficient and uniform display compared to current larger-LED lit displays.

Read the full story Posted: Nov 23,2018

Plessey purchased EVG's production wafer bonding system

UK-based GaN-on-Si MicroLED developer Plessey Semiconductor announced a collaboration with EV Group (EVG), a wafer bonding and lithography equipment producer. As part of the agreement, Plessey purchased EVG's GEMINI production wafer bonding system to enable bonding and alignment at Plessey’s fabrication facility in Plymouth, UK.

Plessey's EVG -Gemini production wafer bonding system photo

Plessey says that the new system will enable it to bond its GaN-on-Si microLED arrays to the panel’s backplane at a wafer level. Plessey also says that EVG’s patented automated bond alignment system technology is suitable for Plessey’s requirements because it allows face-to-face alignment of the wafers with very high precision which will enable very small pixel sizes.

Read the full story Posted: Nov 12,2018

Plessey placed an order for Aixtron's G5+ C MOCVD tool for GaN-on-silicon growth

UK-based GaN-on-Si MicroLED developer Plessey Semiconductor announced that it has placed an order for Aixtron's AIX G5+ C MOCVD reactor that will expand Plessey's production capacity for gallium nitride on silicon (GaN-on-Si) wafers.

Aixtron G5+ C MOCVD system photo

The new Aixtron reactor will be installed in the first quarter of 2019, at Plessey’s fabrication facility located in Plymouth, UK. The AIX G5+ C MOCVD system has two separate chambers, which enables to use either eight 6" wafers or five 8" ones. The system will be an addition to the company’s existing (and smaller) Aixtron MOCVD reactor

Read the full story Posted: Sep 20,2018

Plessey signs a strategic partnership with Jasper Display to use Jasper's backplane on its GaN-on-Silicon wafers

UK-based GaN-on-Si MicroLED developer Plessey Semiconductor announced a strategic partnership with Taiwan's Jasper Display Corp (JDC). Under the new partnership, Plessey will use JDC's silicon backplane to drive its monolithic micro-LED displays produced on the company's proprietary GaN-on-Silicon (GaN-on-Si) wafers.

In May 2018 JDC demonstrated its latest JD27E2 8" wafer, and a 0.7" Full-HD monochrome (960x540 color) microLED microdisplay that is said to be the world's brightest at 100,000 nits (JDC later demonstrated a million nits micro display). JDC's backplane allows Plessey to fabricate highly efficient and ultra-bright micro-LEDs displays.

Read the full story Posted: Sep 14,2018