China-based Sanan Optoelectronics will set up its first micro LED epitaxial wafer and chip production line in first-quarter 2019, according to industry sources.
Meanwhile China-based Foshan Nationstar Optoelectronics has begun small-volume shipments of mini LED backlighting devices used in 75-inch LCD TVs and 27- and 32-inch gaming LCD monitors, the sources said.
Sanan has already developed micro LEDs of 20-micron in diameter, the sources said, adding the production line to be coinstructed will allow the company to make make 4-micron LEDs and 10-micron LED flip-chips.
Sanan has applied for 27 patents concerning micro LED and plans to produce micro LEDs in small volumes for small-size panels used in smart wearables, large-size panels of over 100 inches and automotive taillights as early as year-end 2019, the sources said.
The brightness of green- and blue-light micro LED chips has reached the standard required for TVs, while that of red-light chips is below the standard but is expected to see improvements in September 2018, the sources said.
Sanan has also become a priority supplier of mini LEDs for large-size displays for Samsung Electronics, the sources added.
Nationstar plans to increase monthly shipments of mini LED backlighting devices to 500,000 units. It has also begun production of P0.9 (pitch of 0.9mm) fine-pitch mini LED displays using IMD (integrated mounted device) process and is developing P0.7 and P0.6 models.
China-based HC SemiTek has also stepped into the mini and micro LED sector. The company will begin production of mini LED backlighting for smartphones, LCD TVs and automotive displays in second-half 2018, the sources said, adding it expects micro LEDs to be first applied to AR/VR and smartwatches in 2019.
Article translated by Adam Hwang
