According to media reports, Innolux established a new company, Advanced MicroLux, in February of this year. The new company focuses on the research and development and manufacturing of MicroLED technology and is led by Wang Zhichao, the former chairman of Innolux.
It is understood that Innolux Display Technology Co., Ltd. has a registered capital of NT$150 million and is located at Innolux’s T3 plant in Zhunan, which was formerly TPO’s LTPS panel plant. Currently, the T3 plant is Innolux’s main R&D base for MicroLED.
Image source: Innolux
In recent years, Innolux has been continuously investing in Micro LED technology. In addition to its LED manufacturers, Epistar and Sharp, which are subsidiaries of Foxconn, Innolux, together with Sharp and Epistar, acquired the US startup eLux in 2017. The latter plays an important role in the group's Micro LED technology development.
In terms of Micro LED technology, in order to overcome the problems of mass transfer and high maintenance costs of RGB, Innolux has partnered with eLux to take a different approach by using color conversion technology to simplify the mass transfer and maintenance process and improve display uniformity. This strategy helps to reduce production costs and improve product yield.
In its previous earnings call, Innolux stated that its Micro LED technology has already been implemented in automakers and large-screen TVs, and the company is in discussions with clients regarding mass production plans. Its color conversion technology is planned for use in large-screen display panels and automotive panels, with the company expecting to ship the color conversion Micro LED technology within 1-2 years. Automotive display development, however, will take longer, potentially requiring another 2-3 years. The company plans to initially manufacture its Micro LED products on its 3.5-generation low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) production line, with future production on its 6th-generation line.
Senior Vice President of Research, Chiu Yu-pin, stated that panel manufacturers still need some time to advance the mass production of MicroLEDs. However, eLux has achieved some success with a new mass transfer technology solution called FSA fluid self-assembly. In the future, besides serving the group, the newly established company can also market this technology externally, becoming a key component of the group's MicroLED strategy. (Source: Taiwan Commercial Times, compiled by WitsView)
