Samsung Display Considers Partnership to Develop 3500 PPI FMM for VR/AR Devices

Samsung Display is reportedly considering a partnership with APS Holdings to develop a fine metal mask (FMM) with a pixel density of 3500 pixels per inch (PPI) that is closely related to the RGB OLED on Silicon (OLEDOS) technology that Samsung Display plans to develop. OLEDOS can be used for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) devices that require ultra-high-resolution screens.

OLEDOS, which involves depositing organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) on a silicon substrate, is mainly divided into two methods. LG Display is developing "WOLED + CF" OLEDOS, which forms an RGB color filter (CF) on a white (W) OLED. W-OLED emits white light that is colored using the RGB color filter.

Samsung Display is planning to focus on developing "RGB method" OLEDOS, where RGB OLED pixels are deposited in the same layer adjacent to each other. Samsung Display is considering collaborating with an American company to develop RGB OLEDOS and has been steadily developing RGB OLEDOS.

APS Holdings is developing FMM for the RGB method OLEDOS. APS Materials, responsible for the FMM business, directly carries out organic deposition and packaging (to protect OLEDs from moisture and oxygen) on the FMM development line in Tianan City, Chungcheongnam-do.

APS Holdings uses laser pattern processing to create FMM holes. This is because the etching method, which is used for existing small and medium-sized OLEDs, is thought to have a limit for processing ultra-precision holes of 600 PPI or higher.

Samsung Display started developing OLEDOS in mid-2022. Although it was a field that did not attract much attention due to the judgment that the market size was small, Samsung Display decided to enter the field at the request of clients such as Samsung Electronics. Samsung Display believes that the entry barrier for the existing WOLED + CF method OLEDOS is low and has set a goal of developing RGB method OLEDOS ahead of other companies. However, some believe that it is not necessary to develop RGB type OLEDOS because WOLED + CF type OLEDOS can also achieve 3500 PPI.

The display for AR devices that overlays virtual images on the real world is a different matter. In AR devices, LED on Silicon (LEDoS) technology, which forms LEDs on silicon, is expected to have more advantages than OLEDOS. This is because, unlike VR devices where the user cannot see the outside of the device, the light in AR devices must be brighter to see the outside. However, to achieve ultra-high-resolution screens, the LED chips must be made smaller, and the smaller the LED, the weaker its characteristics.