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Can BLUE OLED be used for OLED TV?

Samsung Display selected blue OLED + QDCF (blue OLED) as next generation display technology following LCD TV, and started the necessary development.

Blue OLED is a technology, in which blue light emitted from blue OLED passes through a quantum dot color filter to represent red and green colors (b). The WRGB OLED used in OLED TV is a method in which white light passes through a color filter and implements RGB colors (a).

The ‘2018 OLED Materials Industry Report’ published by UBI Research on April 18 describes whether blue OLED, which Samsung Display has started to develop, can become TV OLED panels. The expected development direction and performance (efficiency and lifetime) of blue OLED + QDCF are analyzed. In particular, current status and development trends (fluorescence, phosphorescence, TADF) of blue emitting material, which is the core material of blue OLED, are covered.

Since blue OLED of Samsung Display is top emission type, the aperture ratio is increased by about 70% compared to the bottom emission, which emits light in the TFT direction, so that 8K resolution and high brightness are realized better than the conventional WRGB OLED. In addition, it is expected to reach BT. 2020, the UHD color standard, which was established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 2012, using QD material with high color reproduction rate as color filter.

In the future premium TV market, 8K and BT. 2020 are necessary conditions for display. WRGB OLED is also being actively developed to implement 8K and BT2020. Attention is focused on the impact of the development of blue OLED in the premium TV market led by WRGB OLED.

In addition, the report analyzes the market status and development trends of the related companies, including overall technology development directions and key issues for new materials such as soluble OLED materials and near IR materials.

QD-OLED TV, is it to be the next generation premium TV?

Samsung Electronics is currently occupying the premium TV market with QD-LCD TVs, which use ‘PL-QD (photoluminescence quantum dot) technology’. This technology has a mechanism in which the material stimulated by external light re-emits light.

The operating profit of the consumer electronics division (CE), which controls QD-LCD TVs, fell more than Korean won 1 trillion in last year and the operating profit ratio was only 3.6%.

On the other hand, LG Electronics’ HE business division achieved a record operating profit of Korean won 1,566.7 billion and an operating margin of 8.1% through OLED TV. Sony also turned its operating profit into a surplus by quickly taking over the premium TV market with OLED TV.

OLED TV has had a positive effect in driving corporate sales growth.

Samsung Electronics has been developing EL-QLED, with EL-QD (electroluminescence quantum dot) technology, to increase its market share in the premium TV market. However, efficacy, lifetime and mass production technology of quantum dot, which is the material of QLED, is not yet secured.

Recently, QD-OLED TV technology, which uses blue OLED as a light source and that implements red and green colors through a quantum dot color filter (QDCF), is attracting attention.

<Expected structure for QD-OLED, Source: Samsung Display Blog>

By using QDCF, it is possible to easily make desired colors by adjusting the size of the QD material and improve the color reproduction rate. This is because the color gamut is enlarged to BT2020, so it is close to natural color and it is possible to deliver vivid picture quality more clearly. In addition, QD-OLED TV has a top emission structure, which makes it easy to secure the aperture ratio, thereby improving resolution and screen uniformity.

However, in QD-OLED TV, there are various problems to be solved such as lifetime and efficiency of blue OLED, and technology of ink-jet printing process. Given that the industry is still in the early stages of reviewing the business possibility, QD-OLED TVs are expected to go into mass production after 2020.

Attention is focused on the QD-OLED TV’s entry into the premium TV market and its impact.

[OLED summit 2016]LG Display, presentation of must-be developed pOLED’s core technology

In OLED summit 2016 held in San Diego, USA on 21st(local time), general manager of LG Display Joosu Im gave presentation on “Going forward with pOLED & future challenges” which is about 5 core technology that must-be developed in pOLED and the next pOLED.

As 5 types of core technology of pOLED, dream picture quality, design freedom, process simplication, cost innovation, a diversity of pOLED products were selected.

The presentation focused on topics such as, in dream picture quality, HDR and BT-2020 are applied in high resolution, and in design freedom, new TSP sensor development such as low stress TFT and metal mesh, and durability improvement of flexible window cover.

Also, he emphasized the process development for reducing the panel layer such as low temperature process and touch integration for process simplification, and the need for cost innovation through it. Lastly, he suggested material development (such as phosphorescence, TADF blue) in low power for diversity of pOLED products such as monitor for VR and PC, and automobile diversity of pOLED products, and also suggested changes of pixel design for enhancing the open ratio.

As a new opportunity for pOLED, he pointed out applications on foldable, automotive, and VR devices, and mentioned transparent display as the next pOLED.

This LG Display presentation is very much similar to Samsung’s previous presentation about Samsung Display in IMID 2016, and it looks like the development process and roadmap of the two companies are identical in pOLED (flexible OLED).

Especially, seeing that BT2020 application in AMOLED panel for mobile is previously mentioned by Samsung Display early this year, and now also mentioned by LG Display, it is expected that BT2020 application will become another main issue.

< LG Display general manager Joosu Im >

< Samsung Display presentation contents, IMID 2016 >