OLED tool supplier says China is next big market for displays

Dan Rogers - 07 Jun 2010

TCZ, a supplier of manufacturing technology for OLED displays, claims that China is investing heavily to catch up with South Korea as the home of OLEDs.

The company, a division of semiconductor manufacturing tools firm Cymer, is marketing its display processing technology in Asia. The company already has orders from companies producing OLEDs for high-quality displays, such as the touchscreens used in smartphones.

David Knowles, CEO of TCZ, explains: 'When we started we went to Asia to talk to display makers. We focused on the leading OLED manufacturers and, as Korea is one of the leaders in this area, it seemed a natural fit to approach companies there.'

While South Korea boasts two of the biggest investors in OLED technology in Samsung and LG, Knowles notes that China is rapidly emerging as another area hosting LCD, OLED and other display suppliers.

He says: 'China is a country investing heavily and is likely to become one of the key suppliers in the OLED industry.'

Production tools

TCZ provides processing technology that involves laser crystallisation of displays on glass. The company, originally a joint venture of laser producer Cymer and optics technology firm Carl Zeiss and now a wholly-owned Cymer company, makes tools that it claims offer more uniform displays and higher quality products, meaning higher throughput and lower cost for manufacturers.

'We have strong interest from everyone we speak to in the OLED industry because, based on level of throughput, users can reduce the cost per panel [of manufacturing] by 30%,' Knowles remarks, suggesting higher quality output can mean savings compared to processes currently used.

However, China in particular was noted by Knowles as an area offering significant sales potential for a tools provider such as TCZ.

Knowles says: 'We're seeing a strong government focus on OLEDs as an emerging technology to invest in. Display makers in China realise that if they adopt this technology early they can reap the rewards.'

Earlier in 2010, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced plans to fund an OLED pilot production site in Foshan City, Guangdong province, as OLED-Info reports.

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