Quantum Dots

How XTPL's Ultra-Precise Dispensing System is Shaping the Future of OLED and MicroLED Displays Exploring the Future of Display Technology: OLED, QD-OLED, and MicroLED Compared

OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode), QD-OLED (Quantum Dot Organic Light-Emitting Diode), and MicroLED (Micro Light-Emitting Diode) share some common characteristics as emissive display technologies:

1. Emissive nature: They all emit light when an electric current is passed through them.
2. Active matrix: They use an active matrix to control the emission of each pixel.
3. Pixel structure: Each pixel typically consists of three sub-pixels (red, green, and blue) that can be controlled independently.
4. High contrast ratio: They are capable of producing high contrast ratios due to their ability to turn off or dim individual pixels.
5. Fast response time: They have fast response times, which enables them to display fast-moving content without blurring or ghosting.
6. Viewing angles: They can maintain good color accuracy and contrast even when viewed from the side, although MicroLEDs tend to have better viewing angles. 

Fig. 1 XTPL Ultra-Precise Dispensing System

In the past year, microLED startups have raised over $200 million. As some companies (most notably Aledia and JBD in this case) mature and start to build production capacity, the need for funds grows, and we have indeed seen large investment rounds in these companies.

• Kubos Semiconductors: $2 million (May 2024)
• MICLEDI: $17 million (March 2024)
• Mojo Vision: $21.1 million (October 2023)
• Aledia: $129 million (October 2023)
• Comptek Solutions: $8.6 million (August 2023)
• QNA Technology: $4 million (August 2023)
• JBD: A4 round, estimated at $30-130 million (June 2023)

It is great to see these recent funding successes, which will hopefully lead to increased innovation and also initial production. It should be noted that most (if not all) of these financing rounds have been finalized before Apple made its decision to cancel its main microLED wearable project. We do not see Apple's decision as having a major impact on the long-term viability of microLED technologies or on the industry - but we do know that some investors are now hesitant to invest in this market following Apple's project cancellation. 

Innolux showed several new microLED display prototypes at Displayweek 2024, as it focuses on microLEDs as its next-generation display solution.

First, the company showcased a large 106" tiled microLED TV display, build from 96 12.3" modules. The display uses 20x40 um blue microLED chips (with QD color conversion) and an LTPS backplane.

MicroLED display developer VueReal announced a new microLED architecture, based on blue LEDs and QD color conversion, which it brands as QuantumVue. VueReal says it developed its own patented dynamic quantum dot (QD) patterning technology which complements its unique proprietary MicroSolid Printing microLED transfer technology.

VueReal says that its QuantumVue displays offer high sustainability and affordability without compromising image quality. The technology is especially suitable for TV panels as it can offer superior performance at a competitive cost compared to a native RGB microLED display architecture.

Taiwan-based Innolux demonstrated new microLED display prototypes: a wide 187-inch microLED tiled display, a 9.6" flexible automotive microLED prototype and a transparent microLED.

Innolux did not detail much about these new prototypes. All of its microLEDs are based on blue microLEDs with quantum dot color conversion, and LTPS backplanes on glass substrates. 

In a recent announcement, Saphlux, Inc. revealed that its NPQD® Monolithic Full-Color Micro- LED (mLED) technology has successfully undergone a new round of technological upgrades. Following this advancement, the company has launched the enhanced T2 series micro-displays.

The Saphlux T series micro-displays incorporate core technologies, including NPQD® and large-scale silicon-based bonding, specifically tailored for the AR display applications. The series currently encompasses 0.12-inch monochrome single-color (red, green, blue) micro-displays and 0.39-inch monolithic full-color micro-displays.

Hong Kong based microLED microdisplay developer Raysolve Technology demonstrated two new microLED microdisplay prototypes, 0.11" (320x240) and 0.22" full color displays. The displays feature a density of 7,200 PPI and a brightness of up to 150,000 nits (full color). 

The displays are based on blue LEDs, with the company's proprietary Quantum dot photoresist (QDPR) process. Raysolve says it has optimized its QD process and increase the color gamut of its displays - which now achieve 147.2% sRGB, 104.3% NTSC and 108.5% DCI-P3. 

MicroLED-Connect is a hybrid event series, a year-long program of virtual and onsite events, all focused on the microLED industry. The first online 2-day webinar was hosted successfully last month, with over 25 lectures (all recordings accessible for pass holders). The next event is a startup showcase, that will be hosted on February 22, 2024.

The startup showcase includes lectures from 8 leading microLED startup companies, covering topics such as microdisplays, AR headset development, microLED production, transfer processes and microLED inspection.

Now is a great time to reserve your ticket and make sure you stay updated with the latest innovation from the following startup companies: Rayleigh Vision, Inziv, Comptek Solutions, QustomDot, Terecircuits, iBeam Materials, Kura Vision and NS Nanotech. You can read the complete agenda here.