Over 99% of the content on Display Daily is free so that anyone can see. Display Daily articles can be viewed by registered and logged in users. Any that are a year old are free to view. More recent ones are limited to two per month for registered users.  Display Insider articles are only available to subscribers who also get unlimited access to Display Daily articles. We have also introduced a lower cost option to just get access to all of the Display Daily articles (without Display Insider) If you or your company would like to move an article to be freely viewed or increase the number freely available, please contact us.

Yesterday, we had the first part of the report by Barry Young on the recent SID Display Week event in San Jose. Here is part 2.

Hidden away at a table in one of the two I-Zones (areas devoted to start-ups and pre-commercial displays - editor), Porotech showed its DynamicPixelTuning technology that enables full-color using a single die starting with monochrome LEDs from a single wafer. Porotech claims that DynamicPixelTuning provides high color uniformity without the use of complex fabrication processes. (Porotech Unlocks A World First In Micro-LED Dynamic Pixel Tuning)

Porotech also announced a strategic partnership with IQE plc, a supplier of compound semiconductor wafer products and advanced material solutions. The partnership will develop, scale and commercialize Porotech’s unique wafer technology using 200 or 300mm GaN-based wafer for ultra-high-density and efficient MicroLEDs. IQE expects to become Porotech’s epitaxial wafer foundry partner by providing GaN MOCVD capacity for volume production. Porotech purchases semi-finished dies, adds its patent porous layer, and then finishes the wafer with the primary color. (Porotech Announces Strategic Partnership with IQE)

A single die can emit red, green or blue wavelengths by modulating the current density. Porotech is just beginning and hasn’t reached the characterization stage, at least not for public review. They claim that each color can be produced with the necessary intensity and yield and efficiency. They envision being able to supply red, green and blue die or a single die that emits all colors. But the efficiency is low, especially for red, production costs and yields yet to be defined and many competitors are working on similar outcomes.

They are concentrating on the microdisplay market because of their academic background, “it seems more challenging”. But they are likely to follow the instincts that infamous bank robber, Willy Sutton espoused to “go where the money is”.

Figure 7: Porotech Monochrome Pixels using GaN

Samsung Display, the leader in foldable display technology, showed a range of foldable displays, including the Flex G and Flex S concepts, last shown off at CES 2022. They're both tri-folding panels and work for both compact smartphones and tablet-sized devices, with the former folding inward twice and the latter folding both inward and outward. A concept video provided by the company previews exactly how these displays are used. Future foldables could include multi-fold designs that are capable of folding both inwards and outwards, or even use rolling screens to expand outwards.

LG Display showed an 8-inch foldable touchscreen which folds both inward and outward, similar to TCL’s Ultra Flex concept earlier this year. The design allows a single folding display to serve as both an inner screen (like with the Galaxy Z Fold 3) and an outer screen (like the Huawei Mate XS), although clearly raising the question of durability. LG Display claimed their 360-degree display survived “over 200,000 folds” before it starts to break, and LG Display says it uses a “special folding structure” that minimizes any creasing. The resolution was 2,480 x 2,200 pixels, the same as the inner display on Huawei’s Mate X2.

LG also had their 17’ foldable display for HP notebook, an upgrade from Lenovo’s 13” foldable notebook.

Figure 8: LG’s 17” Foldable Panel in a Notebook

Samsung Display also showed a pair of sliding handsets with screens that can unfurl horizontally or vertically. Rollable concepts over the years have been demoed by TCL, Oppo, and even LG prior to it exiting the smartphone business entirely. But despite the interest, no smartphones with rollable displays have yet made it to market.

While the market looks forward to the next generation of foldables and shipments are doubling Y/Y, it is all driven by the Z Flip, which competes with traditional formats, by offering the same functionality at the same price with a smaller form factor. The Z Fold has been a dismal failure with modest sales due to the large size, heavy weight and high price. If the tablet in a phone format is to succeed, all three limitations should be addressed. The rollable format seems hopeful, but the prototypes are very thick and by adding the roller mechanism likely to be very expensive.

To celebrate its 60th anniversary, SID had a number of speakers give 15 min presentations. Aside from the historical dimension and a recap of the forecast, two talks were of epic importance.

Figure 10: Concept Logo for Expanded SID

 SDOI Logo Concept - Source: OLED-A

Finally, sometimes we can learn more by what we don’t see than what we do see.