APS is reviewing a plan to develop a fine metal mask (FMM) based on a silicon substrate, TheElec has learned.
FMM is used in the production of OLED panels. APS is currently developing an FMM made with laser patterning that it hopes will be used in the production of OLED on silicon (OLEDoS).
However, due to Samsung Display’s acquisition in May of RGB OLEDoS company eMagin, interest in developing FMM using silicon substrates as it is the technology used by the latter.
APS is internally calling its equivalent fine dry etching mask or FDM.
FDM will coat invar on the silicon substrate and then use lithography and dry etching to make the patterns of the FMM. Once the patterns are formed, the silicon will be etched out.
This FDM, as it uses lithography techniques used in chip production, can puncture ultra-small holes with precision, which is needed to realize the ultra-high definition resolution of OLEDoS.
While the silicon is etched out, the invar remains so the FDM will also be more durable during deposition of OLED materials. However, as the masks for ultra-high definition require 1 to 2 micrometers of thinness, it remains to be seen how durable the masks will be after multiple cleaning sessions post-use.
Samsung Display’s subsidiary eMagin has previously stated that it doesn’t use metal-based FMM that is used in the production of OLED panels for smartphones.
Meanwhile, in December, APS announced that it has developed a 3,000ppi RGB OLEDoS using its laser patterning FMM.
Development of OLEDoS across the industry is flourishing as it is being touted as the display for use in XR devices.
Besides RGB OLEDoS, those that use white subpixels and color filters are also being launched and used. Apple’s VisionPro uses W-OLED and color filters.
