Kodak, Sanyo Invest in Active-Matrix OLED Production

kinetic · Jan 16, 2003, 09:04 PM

EE Times
January 16, 2003

TOKYO — Organic LED partners Eastman Kodak Co. and Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. will together invest about $170 million to establish volume production capacity of active-matrix OLEDs this year, the companies said. The displays, an up and coming technology, are not in volume production anywhere in the world at this time, Sanyo said. The investment will support the production of one million 2-inch panels per month.

Kodak and Sanyo became OLED allies in February 1999 and developed their first active-matrix OLED in September 1999. They have also formed a joint venture, SK Display Corp., that handles a portion of the OLED production process, specifically the evaporating of the OLED layer. Sanyo will provide the joint venture with low-temperature polysilicon LCDs, the substrate upon which active-matrix OLED panels are built.

About half of the $170 million in funding will go to SK Display and another half will go to Tottori Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd., an LCD production facility and Sanyo subsidiary.

Sanyo and Kodak intend to become leading providers of active-matrix OLED panels, Sanyo said.

Earlier this week Kodak announced that it has licensed its OLED technology to Varitronix International Ltd., a Hong Kong-based display provider that plans to develop full-color active-matrix OLEDs.

EE Times
January 16, 2003 (11:27 a.m. EST)

Jan 16, 2003, 09:04 PM	#1
kinetic DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Manchester England Posts: 2,559 Rep Power: 0	Kodak, Sanyo Invest in Active-Matrix OLED Production EE Times January 16, 2003 TOKYO — Organic LED partners Eastman Kodak Co. and Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. will together invest about $170 million to establish volume production capacity of active-matrix OLEDs this year, the companies said. The displays, an up and coming technology, are not in volume production anywhere in the world at this time, Sanyo said. The investment will support the production of one million 2-inch panels per month. Kodak and Sanyo became OLED allies in February 1999 and developed their first active-matrix OLED in September 1999. They have also formed a joint venture, SK Display Corp., that handles a portion of the OLED production process, specifically the evaporating of the OLED layer. Sanyo will provide the joint venture with low-temperature polysilicon LCDs, the substrate upon which active-matrix OLED panels are built. About half of the $170 million in funding will go to SK Display and another half will go to Tottori Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd., an LCD production facility and Sanyo subsidiary. Sanyo and Kodak intend to become leading providers of active-matrix OLED panels, Sanyo said. Earlier this week Kodak announced that it has licensed its OLED technology to Varitronix International Ltd., a Hong Kong-based display provider that plans to develop full-color active-matrix OLEDs. EE Times January 16, 2003 (11:27 a.m. EST)