Since 2016, the rapid development of display technology, including FMM evaporation and inkjet printing OLED technology has become a hot industry. Fine Metal Mask (FMM) The main difference between vapor deposition and ink jet printing is the equipment and materials used to make these organic layers. When manufacturing these organic layers with FMM, a vacuum device is required. Solid materials are added to the device, and then the OLED materials are evaporated by heating. The evaporation source is applied to the surface of the substrate in a pixel pattern through the mask. But the ink-jet printing OLED works differently. The basic principles are similar to inkjet printers that are common in homes and offices. The ink-jet printing method mainly uses OLED to melt the OLED organic material, and then the material is directly printed on the substrate surface to form R (red), G (green) and B (blue) organic light-emitting layer.
The OLED printing process has the following advantages over the typical FMM (Fine Metal Mask) process. First, the process is simpler; second, the organic luminescent material evaporates more efficiently; thirdly, it is easier to handle large substrates, especially those with Gen8 and above; and finally, lower manufacturing costs. With these advantages, the printing process mainly for large-size substrates, especially Gen8 and above TV panel development. However, the printing process also has some drawbacks. In fact, the printed OLED process material is not enough for large-scale production, but many industry participants in the 2018 goal is to develop large-scale production of printing technology. FZ600R12KE3
Printed OLEDs also face many challenges, including material luminous efficiency and life improvement. As is well known, printing materials, especially blue light-emitting materials need to be improved, because the blue light-emitting material life and luminous efficiency are lower than other colors of the material. Therefore, the recent South Korea with the Japanese OLED equipment manufacturers to develop a "FMM (fine metal mask) and the printing process of mixing" technology: that is, red and green organic materials by the printing process, and blue organic materials from the typical FMM (fine Metal mask) process, and then combining the three luminescent materials. The most important is the ability to carry out the study of printed OLED materials, the number of manufacturers is very limited. So far only about five global chemical materials manufacturers to carry out research and production of printed OLED materials, such as Merck, DuPont, Sumitomo Chemical and Nissan Chemical.
Korean panel makers are currently leading the research and development of OLED printing technology. Lithography (LG Display) is currently the only OLED TV panel manufacturer, so its OLED printing technology in the development of particularly active. FS75R12KE3_B3
In fact, LG Display has been in the Korean production line set up a Gen8 size OLED printing process test equipment for research. However, since the luminescent material is still in the development stage, much of the work depends on the material manufacturer, not the panel manufacturer. It appears that more time is required to develop materials that can meet the performance levels required for the display panel. Many manufacturers, and even China's emerging manufacturers are developing OLED production for the printing process. However, given the current state of the art, experience and material development, it seems to take more time than panel makers expect. IHS Markit believes that this goal will be achieved in 2020 or so.