Micro display maker MicroEmissive Displays has won a £2m order for its polymer-OLED microdisplay from a manufacturer of consumer products in the Far East. This will also be the first to ship from the company's new manufacturing facility in Dresden, Germany.
The order is for a 6mm QVGA device, the ME3204, which features a digital video interface together with an integrated display driver eliminating the need for additional driver ICs. This design feature saves space and reduces both power consumption and BoM costs.
“This order is first proof of MED's assertions that the image quality and battery saving, coupled with the small size and weight allowed by integration of backlight and driver electronics, all make the eyescreen the ideal component for portable consumer products,” said Bill Miller, CEO at MicroEmissive Displays.
The P-OLED technology is emissive and so does not require a backlight and as a result the microdisplay is suitable for portable applications such as video glasses or head-mounted displays, electronic view finders and night vision systems. It can be combined with magnifying optics to produce a large virtual image that appears to the eye to be equivalent in dimensions to the picture on a TV screen or computer display.
Work started in December on installing equipment in the new factory at Fraunhofer IPMS Institute of Photonics.
“We are glad that MED will be the first European company to manufacture production volumes of OLED displays,” said Professor Leo of the Fraunhofer IPMS. “Dresden is an established centre for the semiconductor and polymer industries and by sighting its production centre here, MED will be able to take advantage of the pool of experience and knowledge within the local work force. We believe that there are great synergies between MED and other OLED activities and hope that more production facilities will open in the future.”
The tool set for the 350 m2 purpose built cleanroom was delivered from ANS Korea in December and comprises polymer OLED based deposition and thin film encapsulation equipment for mass production.
“I am delighted that the build-up to full production is going to plan. We are seeing growth in our target markets due to the progress of entertainment on the move services. With full production still on schedule for mid-2007, MED will be well placed to take advantage of that progress,” said Miller. “The new members of staff are in operator, administration and technician roles, which are vital to our ongoing plans and we anticipate adding to their numbers in the coming months.”
"