LGD brings in TFT equipment earlier than expected

LG Display has brought in TFT deposition equipment earlier than expected for 10.5th generation OLED lines at its P10 plant in Paju of Gyeonggi Province to help prep for mass production, sources close to the matter said on June 12.

The equipment is mainly manufactured by US-based Applied Materials, with some provided by South Korea’s Jusung Engineering. Jusung’s equipment entered the facilities first.

Originally, the equipment was scheduled to be brought to the facilities in February next year, ahead of LG Display’s commencement of the OLED lines in 2021. The monthly production capacity is estimated at around 30,000 panels.

It will be the first production of its kind based on substrates of this size made with Oxide TFT. Companies like BOE and CSOT of China that had established 10.5th generation lines ahead of LG are manufacturing LCD panels with a-si TFT.

Compared to a-si TFT, Oxide TFT involves more procedures and are more difficult to apply. But it also has better electrical performances.

Applied Materials is the industry leader for equipment used for the 10th generation lines and above, while Jusung is a latecomer.

The South Korean firm’s revenues for 10th generation TFT equipment will likely be reflected in the second or third quarter. At LG Display’s 8.5th generation OLED manufacturing lines in Guangzhou of Guangdong Province where initial investment has been made to for a monthly capacity of 60,000 panels, five of the TFT deposition equipment is from Jusung, while four are from Applied Materials.

The LCD lines in Guangdong all use Jusung equipment.

On June 5, Applied Materials opened its second display equipment plant and lab at the Southern Taiwan Science Park in Taiwan. The firm invested 3 billion Taiwanese dollars (113 billion won) to install the facilities on land measuring 51000 square meters. Applied Materials CEO Gary E. Dickerson and Taiwanese vice president Chen Chien-jen attended the ceremony.

Taiwan’s Lianhe Zaobao reported said that Applied Materials is expected to properly address growing needs of its customers with the new plant.

“In Korea, there aren’t facilities up to par with those in Taiwan,” said an official of Applied Materials Korea.