Samsung bolsters OLED display biz
Models pose next to Samsung Electronics’ 55-inch curved OLED TV. The TV uses Samsung Display’s ZPD OLED screen. / Courtesy of Samsung Display
Flawless screens help solidify market leadership
By Kim Yoo-chul
Samsung Display, an affiliate of the Samsung Group, solidified its leadership in the advanced display market after it began producing flawless large-sized OLED (organic light emitting diode) screens since late last year.
Flawless screens are one of the firm’s latest advancements.
The company currently dominates the global demand for small- and medium-sized OLED screens because it supplies such screens to Samsung Electronics, the world’s biggest smartphone manufacturer.
But the situation is different in the large-sized TV OLED screen segment. Its biggest rival, LG Display, is catching up by boosting its price-competitive white-based OLED technology.
Major TV manufacturers are also shifting their focus to OLED TVs, which have better profit margins than the currently popular LCD TVs.
In a statement to The Korea Times, Kim Ho-jung, senior manager of Samsung Display’s communication team, said that the firm’s so-called zero-pixel defect OLED (ZPD OLED) screens are better than those of rivals in terms of picture quality and customer value.
“As the world’s most-trusted TV manufacturer, Samsung was consistent in developing technologies. We are confident we will get tangible results by pushing for ZPD OLED screens. The displays have received a warm response both from individual and business clients,” said Kim.
The manager said that the firm has been adjusting panel designs and applying an advanced processing technology to address technological problems such as contamination control. Addressing such problems is key to OLED screens because of their complexity.
“In OLED manufacturing, particle contamination is a big threat to OLED quality and production yields. Particles deposited into the products can create the so-called Mura defects, which are dark spots. Through on-time updates and new equipment, our OLED panels now have no yield-related issues,” said Kim.
“Our push for ZPD OLED may seem quite risky for panel manufacturers. But it’s a reflection of Samsung’s pride for product quality and technological advancement.”
Today, there are two main OLED technologies ― red-, green- and blue- (RGB)-based technology, which is used by Samsung, and white OLED technology, which is used by LG Display.
Although there is still debate about which technology is better, Samsung is confident that its RGB evaporation technology yields are getting better.
Kim said the firm has recently developed an evaporation deposition technology, and the company plans to further invest in the technology in order to surpass LG’s white OLED technology, which uses a single white OLED and a separate color filter.
“Using very small masks, the evaporation deposition technology enables RGB-based organic materials to attach to large-sized glass sheets. Because this process did not exist before, we went through tough periods before we could stabilize the process,” said the manager.
Kim added the firm’s new OLED technology does not require a separate light source, and thus, has a faster response time.
The faster response time eliminates motion blur even in the fastest-moving action-movie and sports scenes. It also enables OLED TVs to provide a 3D experience without any crosstalk.
Samsung’s new OLED technology also features an advanced dual view that allows users to easily check two channels simultaneously on a full display.
Samsung Display is able to produce high-quality OLED screens with the help of overseas partners.
For example, it has been collaborating with Merck in Germany in producing RGB materials. The two firms are also discussing the development of new applications.
Analysts expect that the OLED TV market will expand significantly sometime after 2015, and Samsung Display is taking a pre-emptive measure by increasingly investing in new TV lines.
“Confidence makes us better,” said a Samsung Display official who declined to be named. The company will order equipment from local manufacturers for its third OLED plant, A3. The plant will use sixth-generation glass-cutting technology to produce displays.
Samsung plans to produce OLED screens in this new plant for both tablets and TVs. The plant will go online during the first half of next year, market analysts expect.
They said Samsung Display will thrive because OLED applications will continue to increase, especially as Samsung Electronics releases new product variants using OLED screens.