It is speculated that it is wont possible for Samsung Display to implement the AR device displays with OLEDs and with those of micro-LEDs are the most likely candidates. Notably, Samsung Display is set to target the AR device market and focus to develop 6600PPI-level micro LED
Kim Min-woo, who is the director of Samsung Display Group, at “Micro-Light Emitting Diode (LED) Display Workshop” said “To implement augmented reality (AR), a high-brightness display is required,” adding, “With the current organic light-emitting diode (OLED), it is not possible (to implement AR displays), and a new light-emitting device is needed. MicroLEDs are the most likely candidate (for AR displays).” This workshop is held at Jong-ro, Seoul, on 14 October.
‘OLEDoS’ and ‘LEDoS’
While Group President Kim Min also refers to “OLEDoS” which deposits OLED on silicon subtracts. While the “Micro LED” is called LEDoS (LED on Silicon), which is responsible to places micro-LEDs on a silicon substrate. As informed earlier, Sammusng Display is targeted to develop a pixel density 6600 Pixels per Inch (PPI) level of Ledos intended of setting the AR device display market a sustainable one. That’s all done to set the virtual reality (VR) device displays right away. While the announcement of Group President Kim indirectly revealed the development direction of Samsung Display’s VR and AR devices.
Group President’s statement on AR, VR and MR
Additionally, Kim also added and emphasized the fact that implementation environments of AR, VR and MR (Mixed reality) are never the same. As VR is very much dissimilar from reality i.e from the outside environment. While the AR has high luminance, is lightweight, and small panel size because it needs to create images outdoors.
To add further, AR devices are intended to be used outdoors. They also have a clear screen as compared to VR devices. Since they are responsible to add a virtual world on top of the real world. Generally, OLEDs have a lower brightness than LEDs. In short, micro-LEDs have certain conveniences such as high brightness, high resolution, long life, and form factor. On the other hand, OLEDs are organics whereas LEDs are inorganic. It does not require a bag (protecting OLED from moisture and oxygen) process.
In contrast, AR display requires a pixel density of more than 5000 PPI. As explained by Kim- “At 5000 PPI or more, the pixel spacing (pixel pitch) should be reduced to 5 micrometres (um) or less, and the enemy (R) rust (G) blue (B) subpixel size should be reduced to 3um or less”. It is also predicted by him that to apply micro-LEDs to wearables, the chip size would need to be 10um or less.
Presently, micro-LEDs are a sort of challenge for everything that’s taken into consideration. Starts from arranging chips to transferring and repairing as well.
Kim added- “and because of this, a number of derivative methods are being developed, such as the technology of going through a quantum dot (QD) colour conversion layer based on blue LEDs.” “It’s the OLED era right now, but the next step is to think about whether it can be a micro-LED,” he said, adding, “It’s up to us to figure out how to implement a micro-LED with a lot of advantages into a display.”