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LG Display has unveiled a solution that could significantly change the way OLED displays are manufactured. Flipp technology eliminates one of the components currently used in panel production, namely thin fine metal masks (FMMs). Thanks to this, the manufacturer aims to achieve higher brightness, longer lifespan and lower power consumption. The first panels using the new solution are expected to enter production no earlier than late 2027.
Flipp eliminates metal masks and can significantly improve OLED performance
For more than a decade LG Display has used so-called Fine Metal Masks in OLED production — thin metal masks with very small openings. OLED materials responsible for individual pixels are deposited through those openings. Although the method works in manufacturing, it is costly and limits the possibilities for further increasing panel performance.
The Flipp technology aims to solve this problem by depositing RGB pixels sequentially, without using metal masks. LG Display claims that this has increased the aperture ratio, that is the area of the screen occupied by active pixels, by about 55 per cent. According to the manufacturer, this translates into 1.6 times greater brightness, up to 2.4 times longer lifespan and around a 13 per cent reduction in power consumption compared with a panel produced using FMM under identical conditions.
Importantly, Flipp is not a solution limited only to small screens. LG Display developed the technology with use in large panels in mind, and the manufacturer says that theoretically it could allow the creation of displays with diagonals from 1 to as much as 100 inches.
New LG OLEDs set to appear in TVs, monitors and VR devices
First applications of Flipp will focus on IT devices such as tablets and monitors. In later stages LG Display plans to expand the technology to laptops, televisions, wearables and VR and AR headsets. Thanks to the absence of rigid constraints on size and resolution, the solution could be highly versatile. The manufacturer plans to use its existing 8.5G OLED fab to produce Flipp panels. LG Display intends to allocate around 3 trillion won to develop the technology, and production is expected to start no earlier than late 2027. That means we will still have to wait for the first devices using the new panels. However, LG is not the only company working on producing OLEDs without metal masks. Similar solutions are being developed by, among others, Japan Display, while Chinese firm Visionox has announced production of such panels in 2027. Meanwhile, TCL CSOT is developing inkjet OLED printing technology, and Samsung Display is also exploring the possibility of using a similar process.
Flipp could become one of the most important directions for OLED technology development in the coming years. LG Display says the new solution will enable the production of brighter, more energy-efficient and significantly more durable panels, while eliminating costly FMM masks. The technology is expected to be used in devices of very different sizes, from small screens to televisions measuring up to 100 inches. However, specific products using Flipp will have to wait, as production is not due to begin before late 2027.
source: flatpanelshd
