Korean media: Samsung Display 8.6 generation OLED line may produce mobile phone panels

On May 7, Korean media ETNEWS reported that Samsung Display (SDC) plans to introduce ELA (Excimer Laser Annealing) equipment to its G8.6 OLED production line A6 in Asan, so that it can support the production of IT and smartphone products at the same time.

It is reported that high-end smartphone OLED panels mostly use LTPO TFT drive circuits, and ELA is a key equipment in LTPO manufacturing; existing IT OLED panels only require traditional Oxide (oxide) TFT, and there is no need to use ELA.

Samsung Display plans to build an LTPO production line in addition to its oxide TFT production line, a move aimed at responding to diversified customer orders.

Initially, Samsung Display used the oxide TFT process in all its 8.6-generation OLED production lines. The company has built a factory with a production capacity of 15,000 glass substrates per month. The first production line using the oxide process will begin mass production in June or July this year, with a production capacity of 7,500 substrates per month. It is expected to produce OLED displays for the Apple MacBook Pro released in the second half of this year.

Samsung Display’s panels using oxide TFT technology are mainly targeted at notebook computers, while Apple’s tablet products have adopted LTPO and LTPS TFT technologies. This means that if subsequent production lines adopt the LTPO process, the application of 8.6-generation OLED can be expanded to the flat panel field.

Since the prospects of OLED display technology in tablets, laptops and other markets are still unclear, Samsung Display's introduction of ELA equipment to this production line can improve production flexibility and ensure production capacity utilization.