Aixtron moves a bit closer to a commercial OLED deposition system
Aixtron (AIXA.GR) announced it has partnered with a major OLED display manufacturer to provide an OLED deposition system that will be used to qualify and develop the tool for commercial production. The tool, which is based on Aixtron’s OVPD (Organic Vapor Phase Deposition) system, which is licensed from Universal Display (OLED) and based on the work of Dr. Steven Forrest, differs from traditional OLED deposition systems that use VTE (Vacuum Thermal Evaporation) to deposit organic film structures for OLED displays. The Aixtron system uses the OVPD process, which mixes the organics with a hot inert gas, and a close-coupled showerhead , to reduce the extraneous organic material that builds up in the reaction chamber during the VTE process. This material, which has to be removed periodically, can flake off and become a contaminant, and wastes a very significant amount of organic material. The OVPD system is said to increase the material efficiency significantly.
The Aixtron tool being jointly developed here is a small format system, slightly larger than the Gen 1 beta tool (300mm x 400mm) that the company has previously mentioned, but is one step above a ‘proof of concept’ platform, with the goal of qualifying the system in a production environment. Aixtron will still have to make significant investments to bring the tool to a commercialization stage, which will likely entail a partner or JV, but any process that can increase the efficiency of small or large panel OLED production will be of interest to OLED panel producers and equipment vendors.
The Aixtron tool being jointly developed here is a small format system, slightly larger than the Gen 1 beta tool (300mm x 400mm) that the company has previously mentioned, but is one step above a ‘proof of concept’ platform, with the goal of qualifying the system in a production environment. Aixtron will still have to make significant investments to bring the tool to a commercialization stage, which will likely entail a partner or JV, but any process that can increase the efficiency of small or large panel OLED production will be of interest to OLED panel producers and equipment vendors.
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