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OLED Display Technology

Displays, OLED, Microdisplays, AR, VR

IRIS Webinar

In this proposal, the AMOLED-CoE at IITM is interested in extending its process and product capabilities at the center to the development of a new class of AMOLED displays (Class B) that are suitable for Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) applications. This market segment, comprising of displays and optics, is in its early stage of emergence (currently less than USD200 million). Some of the global companies which are engaged in VR/AR research and development are not only Microsoft (Hololens), Facebook (Oculus) and Google (Google Glass), namely, the leaders in information technology and social media but also includes other well-funded start-ups such as Magic Leap. Industry analysts predict that the VR/AR market segment will lead to a USD28 billion size by 2030 (Reference: IDTechEx Report 2020)..Class B technologies are a combination of two sub-technologies: i) Silicon (Si) TFT backplanes with a high-level of system integration in addition to those found in Class A backplane technologies and ii) OLED materials and device structures.

  • Class B type of VR/AR display products (commonly referred to as “wearables”), a combination of display and optics, require displays greater than 2000 ppi resolution, greater than 5000 nits in peak brightness and fast data refresh rates in order to seamlessly work with human vision. The markets served with this class of products will be in military, medical, training, personalized information display, gaming and entertainment segments. Displays, which are the windows to the digital world, in combination with lightweight optics, makes various wearable products possible.

  • The AMOLED-CoE at IITM plans to create technology differentiation by combining its proprietary novel process with silicon-based shadow masks and analog/digital design capabilities available at IITM to develop and demonstrate state-of-the-art, directly patterned OLED microdisplays. The project will leverage the MEMS fabrication capabilities at IITM to develop advanced silicon-based shadow masks. The project will set ambitious goals for its technical staff and create new opportunities for excellence at the frontiers of the display field.

OLED Display Technology

Debdutta Ray

Principal Investigator

People

Debdutta Ray

Area of Interest

Debdutta Ray

Principal Investigator

dray@ee.iitm.ac.in
G. Venkatesh

Area of Interest

G. Venkatesh

Co-Principal Investigator

g.rajeswaran@ee.iitm.ac.in
G. Venkatesh

Area of Interest

G. Venkatesh

Co-Principal Investigator

v@ee.iitm.ac.in
Nandita DasGupta

Area of Interest

Nandita DasGupta

Co-Principal Investigator

nand@ee.iitm.ac.in
Qadeer Khan

Area of Interest

Qadeer Khan

Co-Principal Investigator

qkhan@ee.iitm.ac.in
Soumya Dutta

Area of Interest

Soumya Dutta

Co-Principal Investigator

s.dutta@ee.iitm.ac.in
Deleep Nair

Area of Interest

Deleep Nair

Co-Principal investigator

Electrical Engineering

Website
deleep@ee.iitm.ac.in
Semiconductor Devices-Fabrication, Modelling and Characterization , RF MEMS

Project

Expected deliverables of the research

  • Publications: We will develop new patterning methods as well as methods to characterize emission layer doping homogeneity. These will lead to the creation of a robust IP portfolio as well as high impact publications in leading international journals. The technology created will be utilized for defining pilot line processes for MDs.
  • Prototypes: In Phase I, prototypes of MDs driven using external drivers and utilizing the CSS and MEMS mask technique will be demonstrated. These prototypes will be ready to showcase to industry for pilot line development.
  • Conferences: The results will be presented in leading international display conferences and workshops. The group will involve the SID India chapter in organizing conferences on the field.
  • Startups: We will showcase the prototypes for investments from industry/defense for pilot line development.

Current status

  • The AMOLED laboratory has started operation in early 2021.
  • The state-of-the-art AMOLED display fabrication system has passed site tests and in operation.
  • The novel technology is currently developed in the AMOLED laboratory.

Collaborations

International Collaborations

  • Prof. Ching Tang (Emeritus Professor, University of Rochester; Inventor of OLED; SID Fellow; recipient of the 2011 Wolf Prize in Chemistry and the 2019 Kyoto Prize) Link

Industrial collaborations

  • TATA Son’s Ltd, Grantwood Ltd
  • DRDO

Societal impact

The next generation displays are thought to be MDs for AR/VR applications. Currently India imports all displays. The success of the project will impact the Indian manufacturing scenario as this will enable the growth of display business involving MSMEs as the capex involved is much lower than current technology. The growth of an optoelectronic industry will enable new employment opportunities. This will have a trickle-down effect as experts and innovators will be required for manpower development in institutes, corporations, management and innovation cells in the industry. This will also enable the associated supply-chain industries in materials, equipment and display electronics.

Sustenance statement

The display business will never cease to be relevant in a digital world since displays provide the human interface to data. AMOLED technology has no formidable competition at this time and is expected to grow over the next decade. AR/VR is the next generation of displays and a robust system is required for its realization which can be provided by organic LEDs. The group is currently working on AMOLED displays for mobile phones and MDs is a natural extension to this work. The group will access changing scenarios and compensate for it. Thus, we believe that the centre will be relevant at least for the next 10 to 15 years.