OLEDNet: JOLED to use Sony's OLED technology and Panasonic's production fab

Last month Japan Display, Sony and Panasonic announced the formation of a new OLED company. JOLED, funded by the Innovation Network Corporation of Japan, will be established formally in January 2015, and will focus mainly on medium sized OLEDs for tablet applications.

JDI 5.2-inch FHD OLED prototypeJDI 5.2-inch FHD OLED prototype

One of the key questions surrounding JOLED is the technology choice. While Sony (and JDI, which is basing its OLED program on Sony's tech) is using small-molecule OLEDs and an evaporation process, Panasonic based its OLED development on Sumitomo's PLED materials and printing technologies.

In an interesting article, OLEDNet reports that JOLED is likely to choose small-molecules OLEDs, Oxide-TFT backplanes, Sony's Super Top Emission technology and an WRGB pixel architecture. According to OLEDNet, Sony will be the leading company behind JOLED, but the actual panel production will take place at Panasonic's Himeji 8-Gen Oxide-TFT fab.

Panasonic's printing process is difficult to commercialize, mostly because of the PLED materials which are not as efficient and long-lasting as small-molecule OLEDs. Sony is also investigating ink-jet printing, OTFT backplanes and flexible OLEDs so it's likely that JOLED will also develop those technologies - but these technologies will take time to mature.

Sony and Panasonic canceled their OLED TV joint venture in December 2013. A few months later, Panasonic also withdrew from the OLED lighting market. We do not know if Panasonic will continue with OLED TV development, but Sony will continue developing its own OLED displays - for high-end broadcasting and medical equipment. It's also likely that Sony will continue with OLED TV development.

JDI was formed in November 2011 by Sony, Hitachi, and Toshiba who combined their small/medium panel production capabilities and received $2 billion from Japan's Innovation Network Corp (INCJ). The company has been developing OLEDs, showing several WRGB OLED prototypes in past years.

Posted: Aug 17,2014 by Ron Mertens

Comments

this won't be "Super" Top Emission, just Top Emission