[News] Collaborations Abound in the Micro LED Field! A Review of 17 New Cases in 2024

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Collaboration between upstream and downstream players in the display industry within the Micro LED field is becoming increasingly close, with the trend of industry consolidation becoming more apparent. Recently, numerous display companies and research institutions have intensified their collaborative efforts in Micro LED technology.

AUO and Smartkem Partner to Develop Rollable and Transparent Micro LED Displays

On November 25th, British materials company Smartkem announced that it will collaborate with AUO starting in January to develop a new generation of rollable and transparent Micro LED displays for large-scale commercial production. The related production work will be carried out on the 2.5-generation assembly line of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in Taiwan.

AUO has been focusing on the research and development of Micro LED display technology for many years. Currently, its large-size TV products have achieved mass production and begun shipping. In addition to the TV field, AUO is actively expanding into emerging markets such as AR glasses and wearable devices. In the automotive field, AUO has collaborated with customers to develop new projects, including in-vehicle displays and exterior lighting.

Founded in 2009, SmartKem is a British developer of organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) materials. In May of this year, it showcased its first Micro LED display sample based on proprietary OTFT materials. This was a 96×96 pixel array using sapphire as a substrate, processed with SmartKem’s technology to achieve Micro LED display functionality.

Regarding this collaboration, AUO’s Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Wei-Lung Liau, stated that AUO has developed breakthrough technologies that enhance the high transparency and free-form capabilities of Micro LEDs in applications. Leveraging Smartkem’s proprietary materials and ITRI’s OTFT production process, AUO is collaborating to develop the world’s first cost-effective, potentially commercializable rollable Micro LED display.

Frequent Collaborations in the Micro LED Field

Collaborations in the Micro LED field have become increasingly frequent this year, with multiple companies accelerating their efforts in this technology. November alone saw several significant collaborations, spanning various aspects including technology research and development.

Micro LED technology has made significant progress in recent years. Although cost and technical hurdles have led Apple to postpone the release of its Micro LED watch, this has not dampened the enthusiasm of other companies for the technology. The industry is still actively promoting the development and application of related technologies.

On the technical front, TrendForce points out that the size of Micro LED chips has been reduced from 34×58 microns to 15×30 microns, significantly increasing the number of chips per wafer and improving cost-effectiveness.

Simultaneously, mass transfer technologies such as stamp transfer, laser transfer, and fluidic self-assembly are gradually maturing, providing more options for the widespread application of Micro LEDs.

With the continuous integration of the industry chain and breakthroughs in technology, Micro LED technology is expected to achieve larger-scale market penetration in the coming years.

TrendForce projects that the global Micro LED chip market value will reach 62 million USD in 2024, with the primary demand coming from the large display market. As Micro LED technology matures in applications like in-vehicle displays and near-eye displays, the global Micro LED chip market value is expected to approach 600 million USD by 2028.

(Photo credit: AUO)