Inkjet printers to raise OLED resolution

CDT and Litrex are paving the way for the production of a new generation of high-resolution P-OLEDs through the development of an inkjet printing solution capable of 200pixel/in printing.

Cambridge Display Technology (CDT) and Litrex Corporation are paving the way for the production of a new generation of high resolution polymer organic light emitting displays (P-OLED) through the development of an inkjet printing solution capable of producing P-OLED displays at up to 200pixel/in.

High resolution displays are becoming increasingly important for small to medium size display applications such as cellphones, where market research data indicates that consumers are demanding ever more sophisticated content for information and entertainment.

P-OLED displays provide an ideal combination of fast video response, high contrast and low power consumption.

Inkjet printing is currently the favoured means of producing 200pixel/in displays on the large substrate sizes necessary for cost competitiveness.

ULVAC subsidiary Litrex has already designed and delivered a variety of inkjet printers up to Gen 8 (2.4 x 2.4m glass size) to the display industry, but not for operation at these higher resolutions.

Litrex printers are capable of highly precise printing, and the achievement of 200pixel/in resolution will require inkjet drops to be placed with even greater accuracy and consistency.

The work will cover both hardware and software enhancements, mainly to take place at Litrex, as well as process developments at CDT including plasma pretreatment, print strategy and film formation development.

The work is expected to be completed by the second half of 2007.

For CDT, Dr David Fyfe, CEO said: "The development of a high resolution manufacturing solution for P-OLED displays is extremely important to the display industry, and will provide a scaleable approach to the production of high resolution, high added value displays".

"Our customers are already very excited at the prospect".

For Litrex, David Orgill, President and CEO added: "This programme will allow us to extend our current inkjet manufacturing technology, using proven techniques and methods, to achieve OLED resolutions which are difficult to achieve by other patterning methods for direct-emissive display technologies".

Back to top