Japan-based Dai Nippon Printing (DNP), the world's leading OLED FMM mask producer, is investing about 20 billion Yen (about $140 USD million) to expand the production capacity at its Kurosaki plant situated in Kitakyushu City.

DNP says that the new FMM line is expected to begin production in the first half of 2024, and will produce large-area FMM masks, suitable for the 8-Gen lines now being commissioned by the OLED industry to enhance production for IT displays. This new capacity will more than double DNP's FMM production capacity.

A few months ago, Japan Display (JDI) announced that it has developed a "historic breakthrough in display technology" - a new OLED deposition process which they refer to as eLEAP, that is said to be cost effective and can be used to create freeform OLEDs that are brighter, more efficient, and longer lasting compared to OLEDs produced using mask evaporation (FMM).

According to a new report from Korea, Samsung Display is interested in JDI's new technique. Interestingly the report shows conflicting views within SDC - some are interested in adopting this new technology, especially at SDC's upcoming 8-Gen IT OLED production line, while others are more interested in preventing SDC's competitors (JDI, or others?) from using it, perhaps by pressuring OLED equipment makers to not offer needed equipment to JDI.

In 2021 The Korean government launched a new project that aims to develop technologies for the production of OLED microdisplays for AR applications. The project is led by AP Systems (APS Holdings), and aims to produce a direct emission OLED microdisplay with a resolution of 4,000 PPI by 2024.

According to reports from Korea, APS Materials has managed to develop a 1,000 PPI FMM mask, and is now building a new R&D line that will be used to produce direct emission OLED microdisplays using FMM technology. The new APS production line will include OLED deposition and encapsulation.

Japan Display (JDI) announced that it has developed a new OLED deposition technology, which they refer to as eLEAP, that is cost effective and can be used to create OLEDs that are brighter, more efficient, and longer lasting compared to OLEDs produced using mask evaporation (FMM). eLEAP also enables OLED freeform deposition. JDI regards its new technology as a " historic breakthrough in display technology".

eLEAP is based on a lithographic method, and does not require any masks. The main advantage seems to be that OLED displays produced by eLEAP technology can achieve an aperture ratio of 60%, compared with FMM OLEDs which achieve a ratio of about 28%. This means that the OLED displays can be driven at lower currents - which extends the lifetime, improves the efficiency and also enables higher-peak brightness when needed.

Researchers from National Taiwan University, led by Prof. Chung-Chih Wu, have developed a 3D pixel configuration for OLED devices, which can improve the light extraction. The new design can improve the external quantum efficiency of a top-emitting OLED device by up to 30%.

The new design uses a 3D reflective pixel structure filled with a patterned high-index material. The researchers created several pixels with difference sizes, and found that the smaller the pixel, the higher the efficiency boost.

OLEDON says that it has developed a new curved plane-source evaporation shadow mask process that can be used for OLED microdisplay fabrication, with a potential density of 10,000 PPI (minimum shadow distance of 0.18um). Using this technology it will be possible to create direct-emission microdisplays.

In the video above, you can see the lecture OLEDON's CEO gave last month at iMID 2021, that explains the new technology.

Korea-based OLUM Material announced that it is starting to develop fine metal masks (FMM) for 8.5-Gen (2200x2500 mm) OLED production. Current FMM technologies are limited to 6-Gen substrates (1500x1850 mm).

As demand for larger mobile OLED displays, for laptops, tablets and monitors is on the rise, OLED makers aim to start making these panels on larger substrates. Samsung Display is considering, according to reports, a 8.5-Gen AMOLED fab dedicated for laptop and IT displays.

Korea-based optical equipment maker Philoptics announced that it raised around $3.5 million that will be dedicated to the development of FMM technologies for OLED production. The company aims to raise a further $8.6 million by the end of the year to continue the development.

Philoptics will use the funds to finalize the development of 6-Gen FMM masks and build a pilot production line for these masks. Philoptics FMM production uses electro forming, where an invar is plated on a patterned substrate. The company says that using this method the FMM masks are thinner compared to other technologies which can increase the possible OLED resolutions under production.

The Korean government launched a new project that aims to develop technologies for the production of OLED microdisplays for AR applications.

The new project, organized by the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is led by AP Systems (APS). The project aims to produce a direct emission OLED microdisplay with a resolution of 4,000 PPI by 2024.

Korea-based OLUM Material announced a new FMM technology for OLED production, which the company refers to as Unit-Cell FMM, which enables high-efficiency deposition (and patterning) of evaporated OLED materials.

The basic idea is to use a small FMM unit in front of every display panel, rather than a large FMM in front of the entire substrate. A large mask is useful for very fast production, but the large masks tend to sag and deform and so FMM production is limited in size.