BOE struggles with low AMOLED yields, looks for help from Taiwan

There are reports that BOE, who's facing serious AMOLED production issues (especially on large OLED TV panels) with very low yields has reached out to Taiwanese company for help. BOE is seeking to collaborate on AMOLED R&D, and if the reports are true they probably contacted either AU Optronics or Innolux or both.

BOE Ordos 5.5-Gen AMOLED fabBOE Ordos 5.5-Gen AMOLED fab

According to reprots, BOE started construction of their 5.5-Gen AMOLED fab in Ordos (Inner Mongolia) which will produce 54K substrates a month. According to some earlier reports, the fab cost is estimated at $3.44 billion. BOE's plan is apparently to first start with LTPS LCD and only in 2014 start producing AMOLED panels as well. BOE is also developing OLED ink-jet printing processes.

AUO's OLED program is more advanced and plans to start making 4.65" 720p OLED panels in Q1 2013. There are some conflicting reports regarding the current status of AUO's AMOLED production efforts. AUO is also working on larger panels, and produced Sony's 56" 4K OLED TV prototype unveiled at CES 2013.

Sony OLED TV prototype, produced by AUO

Innolux meanwhile is working on small and medium OLED panels. They have plans to start very low-volume production soon.

Posted: Jan 24,2013 by Ron Mertens