“It’s a future food”… Samsung QD-OLED delays mass production due to lack of completeness

Input 2021.02.05 06:00

Difficulty securing the yield of QD-OLED for TV is delayed
Difficulty in securing customers… No Samsung Electronics QD TV plan
Possibility to jump to next-generation display QNED

It is known that the timing of mass production of quantum dot organic light-emitting diodes (QD-OLED), which Samsung Display considers as the food for the future, has been pushed from the first half of the plan to the second half. The industry analyzes that the yield of QD-OLEDs currently in pilot production (the ratio of good products to all products) and completeness are not rising to the level for commercialization.

According to the industry on the 5th, QD-OLED, which had facilities for production in July last year, is expected to take three months each to secure process conditions and stabilize yield, and mass production is expected to take place around the first half of this year. However, it is known that Samsung Display has delayed the timing of full-fledged mass production of QD-OLED panels as expected, as the yield improvement, which is the lowest condition for mass production as well as delivery to customers, has progressed more slowly than expected.

QD-OLED mass production has attracted high attention as it means that Samsung Display also possesses production capacity in the large OLED panel market for TVs, which has been almost monopolized by LG Display. In particular, Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, is using QD displays, including QD-OLEDs, as the future food for the group, so QD-OLEDs have been nicknamed’JY (re-use) display’.

However, it is not easy to find QD-OLED customers, so the business outlook is not bright. Samsung Electronics, the largest customer of Samsung Display, is introducing QLED Neo using mini LED (light-emitting diode) as a strategic TV product this year, shaking the position of QD-OLED as the next generation display.

Overseas TV manufacturers such as Sony, TCL, and Panasonic, which are known to have reviewed the prototype of QD-OLED last year, have not yet revealed any plans for new QD-OLED TVs. An industry insider said, “Panel production companies cannot mass-produce panels prior to new product plans of set companies (TV manufacturers),” and “In light of the usual trend that panel mass production takes place 2-3 months before the launch of new TV products, QD-OLED The timing of mass production is more likely in the second half than in the first half.”

In some of the industry, rumors have been reported that Samsung Electronics has requested Samsung Display to extend the production of LCD panels and promised to release QD-OLED TVs early next year. However, an official from Samsung Electronics said, “(Regarding the release of QD-OLED TVs) there is no decision yet.

If the display cannot continue to secure the yield of QD-OLED, it is also possible to skip QD-OLED and go straight to quantum nano light-emitting diode (QNED). Samsung Display’s QD display is a concept that includes not only QD-OLED but also large QD panels such as QNED, and this prediction comes out.

Samsung Display’s QNED technology uses a long bar-shaped blue LED called a nanorod as a light-emitting device. Since inorganic devices emit light, in theory, they are in opposition to OLEDs that employ organic compounds. Its advantages include long life, low afterimage (burn-in) and low power consumption. This technology is evaluated as being ahead of QD-LED. The structure of the display itself is similar to that of QD-LED, but it requires more complex technology in the manufacturing process. On the other hand, it is known that QNED is cheaper for production cost.

Researcher Seed Mohan of Display Supply Chain Consultant (DSCC), a market research firm, said, “If the pilot production line of QNED is successfully built, the QD-OLED line will be replaced by QNED.” Because there is no reason to use it, the production cost of QNED displays will be cheaper than QD-OLED.” According to market researcher Omdia, the initial production price of QD-OLED panels is 2.3 million won, which is believed to be less competitive than LG Display’s OLED, which is in the early 1 million won.

Meanwhile, Samsung Display recently applied for the trademarks QDE and QDX respectively to the Korean Intellectual Property Office. Designated products of the two brands are OLED display panels, computer display monitors, and TV display panels. An industry official said, “Anyway, in the situation where QD-OLED is scheduled to be mass-produced this year, there is no choice but to review various brand names,” he said. “It seems that a trademark was applied in the process.”