Apple's suppliers are working on a new OLED manufacturing technology that could deliver brighter displays for the iPhone and iPad.
Apple has long planned to replace the displays on all of its products with OLED. While it is well on its way to achieving that goal, the OLED panels it uses in the future could be a marked improvement over what's in use now.
According to The Elec on November 3, Apple display suppliers Samsung Display and LG Display are working on new methods to make OLED screens. Both are suppliers in Apple's OLED supply chain, and are keen to secure more orders from the company.
A source says that Apple is prioritizing the use of an existing sputtering process for creating High Mobility Oxide (HMO) based panels. Both Samsung and LG are creating new Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) and sputtering methods they can use on production lines.
There are a few advantages to the changes, including brighter individual pixels on the panel. This can increase not only the brightness but also affect the contrast of the screens.
The research may also make the cost per display a little bit cheaper, making it more suitable for use on budget-friendly products.
HMO, ALD, and Sputtering
HMO refers to a process that makes the thin-film transistor (TFT) used to turn an pixel on and off better. As the "High Mobility" bit of the name indicates, electrons in that circuit move three to five times faster than normal.
This helps the creation of high refresh rate displays, which are needed for features like ProMotion.
Both Sputtering and ALD refer to deposition technologies, or how the OLED material is applied to the thin-film substrate in the first place.
Sputtering relies on plasma to detach atoms from a material and to deposit them to the substrate. It's a useful technology, as it can use equipment already in use on OLED production lines, so there's little need to acquire more specialized hardware.
The PROLED MacBook Pro apparently uses HMO, but sputtering and ALD could result in an even better display - Image Credit: Apple
ALD uses gaseous materials, which are then applied to the layer directly. This is a very highly controllable process since layer thickness can be precisely managed, and therefore define the layer's electrical characteristics.
However, unlike sputtering, ALD does require high-cost machinery and raw materials. That accuracy has a considerable cost.
As a result, both Samsung Display and LG are prioritizing the development of sputtering, while also researching ALD in the background, one source claims.
The future is now
Though the report is all about the display suppliers researching and developing the technology, it may already be here.
According to RDL advisor and former DSCC CEO Ross Young, the new PROLED MacBook Pro is already using HMO for its display panel. It doesn't use existing LTPS or LTPO technologies for its backplane.
The manufacturing of the panel is allegedly performed on Samsung's A6 fab, which is the first in the industry to produce displays with HMO. Young adds that the panels are made using a much larger substrate than current LTPO and LTPS production lines.
While the display is interesting for using HMO, it's not one that uses sputtering nor ALD. When either of those get approved and adopted by Apple, it may get even better than the PROLED MacBook Pro's screen.
