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LG Display has unveiled a solution that could significantly change how OLED displays are manufactured. Flipp technology eliminates one of the components currently used in panel production, the thin FMM (fine metal mask). As a result, the manufacturer aims to achieve higher brightness, longer lifespan, and lower power consumption. The first panels using the new solution are expected to begin production no earlier than late 2027.
Flipp eliminates metal masks and could significantly improve OLED performance
For more than a decade LG Display has used the so-called Fine Metal Masks during OLED production, thin metal masks with very small openings. Through these openings the OLED materials responsible for individual pixels are deposited. Although this method works in production, it is costly and limits the ability to further improve panel performance.
The Flipp technology aims to solve this problem by depositing RGB pixels sequentially, without using metal masks. LG Display says this increases the aperture ratio, the screen area occupied by active pixels, by about 55 percent. According to the manufacturer, that translates into 1.6 times higher brightness, up to 2.4 times longer lifetime and about a 13% reduction in power consumption compared with a panel produced using FMM under identical conditions.
Importantly, Flipp is not limited to small screens. LG Display developed the technology for use in large panels as well, and the manufacturer says that theoretically it could enable displays with diagonal sizes from 1 to even 100 inches.
LG's new OLEDs expected to make their way into TVs, monitors, and VR devices
The first applications of Flipp will focus on IT devices, such as tablets and monitors. In later stages LG Display wants to expand the technology's use to laptops, TVs, wearables, and VR and AR headsets. Because there are no rigid limits on size or 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 slated to begin no earlier than late 2027. That means we'll 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, and Chinese company 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 in OLED technology development in the coming years. LG Display says the new solution will enable the creation of brighter, more energy-efficient, and significantly more durable panels, while eliminating costly FMM masks. The technology is intended for devices of many different sizes, from small screens to TVs up to 100 inches. However, specific products using Flipp will have to wait, because production is not expected to start until at least late 2027.
source: flatpanelshd
