On November 7, Tianma Microelectronics held the 2024 Tianma Innovation Conference in Xiamen, showcasing the latest technologies and advancements in Micro LED, Mini LED, OLED, and IT display panels, and revealing the latest developments in Micro LED technology.
New MLED products unveiled
At this innovation conference, Tianma Microelectronics and Hisense jointly launched the Boundless Crystal Connectivity Micro LED display technology product.
Image source: Tianma Microelectronics
This monitor utilizes Tianma's proprietary GOA in AA backplane driving design, innovative side-layout technology, and full-laser mass transfer technology to achieve a borderless display. Compared to traditional PCB products, it employs TFT-based AM driving technology, providing point-to-point pixel control, improving image quality while eliminating screen flicker and making it more eye-friendly.
Furthermore, the ultra-fine pitch design (Pitch=0.4mm) effectively reduces or eliminates screen seams, supporting free splicing in both horizontal and vertical directions, with a splicing effect indistinguishable from a single display unit. This technology is suitable for various applications such as high-end TVs, video walls, home theaters, commercial displays, and large in-vehicle screens.
In the field of Mini LED backlighting, Tianma Microelectronics showcased its intelligent internal display technology. The product employs high-transmittance hidden display technology and a Mini LED backlight design to enhance the brightness of small icons, exhibiting excellent display effects and an integrated look, thus improving the visual experience. Through special processes and material optimization, the module is thinner, while its total power consumption is reduced by approximately half compared to conventional display modules on the market.
Image source: Tianma Microelectronics
In addition, Tianma Microelectronics also showcased a number of innovative achievements, including green and healthy organic light-emitting devices, ultra-narrow bezel technology, multi-form folding technology, smart cockpit integrated sensing technology, Flip Cell full-screen technology, low-power technology platform, and green smart communication technology.
The Micro LED production line will be fully operational by the end of the year.
At the innovation conference, Xi Kerui, vice president of Tianma Microelectronics Micro LED Research Institute, said that the Micro LED production line will lock in the process by the end of this year and achieve full process integration; next year, production yield and efficiency will be improved, moving towards small-batch production.
It is understood that on June 26 this year, Xiamen Tianma Optoelectronics and Tianma New Display Technology Research Institute jointly held a lighting event for display products such as Micro LED, showcasing in-vehicle instrument displays, high-definition displays and Micro LED displays. This marks the entry of Tianma's 8.6-generation new display panel and Micro LED production line into the trial production stage.
The Tianma Micro LED pilot line project, with a total investment of 1.1 billion yuan, aims to create an industry-leading technology research and development and application development platform. Through cooperation with customers, research institutions, and the industry chain, Tianma will promote breakthroughs in the entire technology chain from display fundamentals to applications, accelerating the commercialization of Micro LED technology.
To further drive technological breakthroughs, Tianma Microelectronics also announced at this innovation conference a strategic cooperation agreement with the Wujin Nanjing University Future Technology Innovation Research Institute to promote the application of Micro LED technology in non-display businesses. In addition, Tianma Microelectronics signed a joint promotion agreement with Corning for new smart cockpit display technology and reached a strategic cooperation agreement with the China EV100 on the innovative development of the automotive industry, further expanding the application areas of Micro LED.
Micro LED Progress of 15 Major Manufacturers
Judging from the progress of Micro LED projects and products this year, as well as the financing situation, the industry is full of confidence in its development. In particular, recently, several key companies have announced significant progress in Micro LED.
Regarding project progress, on October 23, the Micro LED products at BOE's HC SemiTek Jinwan factory were successfully lit up, marking a significant breakthrough for the company in Micro LED manufacturing processes. Simultaneously, the Mini/Micro LED new display module chip manufacturing project invested in by Ruison Display also officially commenced production, with a total investment of 1.2 billion yuan, further driving industry development.
In terms of technological breakthroughs, Sitronix, in collaboration with Southern University of Science and Technology and other institutions, has developed a high-power AlGaN deep ultraviolet Micro LED maskless lithography technology. This technology overcomes the limitations of traditional lithography, reduces costs, and improves efficiency, demonstrating the potential of high-resolution, low-power deep ultraviolet Micro LED displays. Sitronix will further enhance performance and develop high-resolution display products.
With multiple manufacturers announcing the production launch and technological breakthroughs of Micro LED projects, the industry's development has further boosted the shipment volume of Micro LED-related equipment. In the second half of this year, several companies, including Yibei Technology, Maiwei Technology, Hefei Xinyihua, and Jingsheng Electronics, have publicly disclosed the delivery progress of Micro LED equipment.
In terms of capital, the financing boom in the Mini/Micro LED industry remains strong, with investors showing great confidence in the industry's prospects. Recently, several equipment manufacturers have completed significant financing rounds, further accelerating technology research and development and market expansion.
NavInfo has completed a multi-million yuan angel round of financing, focusing on Mini/Micro LED testing equipment, and has already achieved industrialization. RuiLi Scientific Instruments has completed nearly 500 million yuan in financing; its WSD series is specifically designed for Micro LED and other fields. In addition, companies such as MicroNine Optoelectronics, Thunderbird Innovation, and YiXin Semiconductor have also completed financing rounds, promoting the continued development of the Micro LED industry.
It's worth noting that many companies see Micro LED as a crucial future development direction. On October 13th, LG announced its focus on developing high-end, fine-pitch LED displays, particularly the MAGNIT series of Micro LED displays. Aixtron also has a positive outlook on the Micro LED business, projecting revenue of tens of millions of euros by fiscal year 2024.
As a key player in the Micro LED field, Neptunus is confident about the development of Micro LED this year. Its third-quarter financial report, released on November 5th, showed a successful return to profitability for the quarter, marking positive progress in the company's Micro LED business. Neptunus expects to achieve full-year profitability as the business further develops.
summary
Overall, driven by technological innovation, capital support, and market demand, the Micro LED industry continues to move forward and is expected to usher in broader application and growth opportunities in the future.
At the 2024 TrendForce Self-Emitting Display Industry Seminar, Liu Yongfeng, Product Planning Director of Tianma Micro LED Research Institute, mentioned that with the continuous breakthroughs in LED chip miniaturization technology, the performance of Micro LED display products is constantly improving, and the application fields are also constantly expanding. It is expected that automotive and PID displays will be the first to achieve breakthroughs and commercialization, and the wearable device market will also gradually grow.
According to TrendForce's "2024 Micro LED Market Trends and Technology Cost Analysis Report," with the advancement of AI-assisted tools, the demand for AR glasses using Micro LED will gradually emerge within the next 1 to 2 years. Furthermore, the prospects for Micro LED in automotive applications are also expanding, such as augmented reality and panoramic head-up displays (AR-HUD and P-HUD), as well as applications combining transparent display technology in vehicle windows.
TrendForce estimates that the market value of Micro LED chips will reach US$580 million in 2028. As the prospects and potential of Micro LED continue to emerge, companies that have made early investments are expected to gain a larger market share.
