As more Asian players demonstrate their progress in Micro LED, LED technology providers and researchers from Europe and North America also synchronize their advances through deepening collaboration with various solution providers.

Europe: Plessey presents Micro LED AR/VR glasses; Osram joins in on Micro LED automotive display research

After Plessey unveiled its GaN-on-Si monolithic Micro LED in 2018, the UK-based company has cooperated with several partners including Vuzix, JDC, Nanoco Technologies, Aixtron, Mojo Vision and others. In collaboration with Vuzix, Plessey showcased its Micro LED AR/VR smart glasses at CES 2019 and announced just recently that more Micro LED display applications will be demonstrated at Display Week 2019.

(Image: Plessey)

Leading LED manufacturer Osram also joined a Micro LED project, named SmartVIZ, to develop transparent Micro LED automotive displays with other German research institutes. With the project, Osram plans to carry out an initial demonstration by the fourth quarter of 2021. French 3D LED developer Aledia announced an expansion in facilities with Veeco’s thin film solution for 3D Micro LED production in March.

Instrument Systems, a light measurement solution provider based in Munich, will exhibit a measurement device used for the evaluate performance of Micro LED displays and AR/VR display applications at Display Week 2019. Equipment provider AIXTRON, with its AIX G5+ C MOCVD system, has continued to support PlayNitride and more LED makers in Micro LED production.

North America: Apple to use Mini LED as soon as 2H19; Rohinni targets Micro LED applications

Rumors about Apple’s plan to adopt Mini LED backlight for iMac and iPad has invigorated the industry. When the company will adopt Micro LED with its products has been a major focus since Apple acquired LuxVue in 2014. In 2019, we may finally see Mini LEDs realized in Apple products.

VerLASE, a startup focusing on Micro LED technology, reported that it has developed a technique using ink-jet printing concept for Micro LED mass transferring. Meanwhile, a research team at Rochester Institute of Technology proposed a newly designed, integrated vertical thin-GaN LED which can reduce pixel size and improve the densities of Micro LED displays.

Micro LED technology developer Rohinni has intensified its cooperation with partners including panel maker BOE, automotive component producer Magna and equipment provider K&S since 2018. The company revealed that it will showcase Mini LED backlight products at Display Week 2019 and has been working on various applications with its expertise in creating thin Micro LED with great performance.

The U.S. took the lead in Micro LED patent application with 525 patents filed across the world during 2000 to April 2018, taking up 31 percent of global patent applications, according to the analysis of the Korean Intellectual Property Office. China and South Korea come next with 353 and 243 patent applications respectively. The three countries altogether account for more than 60 percent of global patent applications.

As Micro LED technologies become more mature and deeper collaborations between industry players form, the development of Micro LED display is expected to accelerate further. Several companies unveiled that they were ready to showcase the latest technology breakthroughs in the coming Display Week. Stay tuned with LEDinside to receive updates on Micro LED technology development!