For use in Gen 8.5 OLED panels
Samsung Display’s OLED etcher suppliers have begun the development of their new dry etchers for Gen 8.5 OLED panels, TheElec has learned.
Wonik IPS, ICD and Tokyo Electron will compete to win orders first from the South Korean display panel maker.
Samsung Display is considering manufacturing OLED panels for IT application __ tablets, notebooks and monitors __ using Gen 8.5 (2200x2500mm) substrates.
It currently manufactures the panels using Gen 6 (1500x1850mm) substrates
Dry etchers are used during the thin-film transistor process. They are used to etch in circuits such as gate, source and rain.
Dry etchers are betting at etching finer and more precise circuits compared to wet etchers.
OLED for IT applications that are 10-inch or larger required red, green and blue pixels to be aligned tightly on the panel, making the use of dry etcher optimal for their production.
Wonik IPS, ICD and Tokyo Electron had all supplied their dry etchers for Samsung Display’s Gen 6 OLED panels.
Samsung Display is expecting its customers Samsung Electronics and Apple to increase their orders for IT OLED panels going forward.
The supplier that develops the dry etcher needed for Gen 8.5 panels first will likely win the bulk of the order.
Wonik IPS and ICD’s technologies has evolved to match those of Tokyo Electron, a person familiar with the matter said.
Dai Nippon Printing has also begun the development of fine metal masks (FMM) used in Gen 8.5 OLED panels during the second quarter in preparation of supplying them to Samsung Display.
Hims will be the company that develops the tensioner for the new FMMs, the person said.
FMM are used to deposit the organic material on the substrate during OLED production.
Samsung Display is likely to begin spending on a new Gen 8.5 OLED line sometime next year.
Apple’s OLED panel order for those that it plans to use on its iPads launching in 2022 and 2023 are not being, but Cupertino is planning to launch OLED notebooks later as well, so Samsung Display is preparing for this, the person said.
Samsung Electronics’ mobile business is also planning to ship more tablets and notebooks that OLED panels.
Samsung Display is aiming to ship up to 6 million OLED panels for tablets and notebooks this year.
