Topic:  Industry Application The shipments of notebook-PC panels with LED backlights grew by 63% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) to 2.1 million in the third quarter from 1.3 million in the previous quarter, according to the related report. Taiwan TFT-LCD panel suppliers AU Optronics Corp. (AUO) and Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp. (CMO) ranked the world’s third- and sixth-largest, respectively, LED-BLU notebook PC panel makers during the period. .. Read more

Topic:  Technology Now, some manufacturers were becoming more and more serious about energy-saving technologies and other green technologies. At FPD International 2008, there exhibits booths of Korean and Taiwanese panel manufacturers, looking for their green technologies. Standing out the most at every booth were low power LCD TV panels. .. Read more

Topic:  Industry AU Optronics (AUO) plans on basing its OLED development using a-Si technology, and the company estimates it will enter into mass production in 2011. Quote:  AU Optronics (AUO) plans on basing its OLED development using a-Si technology, and the company estimates it will enter into mass production in 2011. CT Liu, vice-president and general manager of consumer product display business group of AUO indicated that AUO is going to start developing OLED again in the fourth quarter of this year and concentrate on commercializing small-sized panels. Liu mentioned that OLED panels have a higher contract ratio, lower power consumption and are much thinner compared to the thin film transistor (TFT) LCD panels. And as OLED technology matured, costs will drop below than of TFT. AUO will also focus its development on efficient OLED manufacturing processes. Liu explained that a-Si technology is more suited for OLED panel making because a-Si has better yield rates and more stable circuits compare to LTPS technology. Although Liu noted that the panel maker has made several breakthroughs concerning materials and equipment recently, AUO estimates that it will take at least three years for the technology to be mature enough for mass production. Hence AUO plans to mass product small- to medium-size OLED panel in 2011, and then larger-sized panels in another 3-5 years. In related news, the Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO) OLED subsidiary Chi Mei EL (CMEL) estimates that its second vapor deposition line will go online early in 2009 and the company plans to use its 5G or 5.5G low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) panel production to produce large-size OLED panels. CMEL noted that it will start mass producing 7.6-inch OLED panels in the second half of this year. News Source:  Digitimes

Topic:  Industry The use of LEDs for the backlight's light source has created new business opportunities in the maturing NB panel market. In contrast to CCFLs, white LEDs provide higher color saturation and are mercury-free and less power-consuming--making them more environmentally friendly.     .. Read more

Topic:  Industry Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO), marking its tenth anniversary, has spelt out its roadmap for the next 10 years, during which it will slow down its expansion in the LCD panel industry and will instead gear up the development for LEDs, eco-friendly lighting, and solar energy. Quote:  Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO), marking its tenth anniversary, has spelt out its roadmap for the next 10 years, during which it will slow down its expansion in the LCD panel industry and will instead gear up the development for LEDs, eco-friendly lighting, and solar energy. CMO president Jau-Yang Ho said the company's establishment in 1998 marked the Chi Mei Group's crossing over into the high-tech industry from the petrochemical industry. Over the past 10 years, CMO has invested more than NT$500 billion (US$15.94 billion) in building various facilities, including eight LCD panel fabs. Having overcome many of the difficulties in the last 10 years, CMO is looking ahead with an aim to become an international company that cares about the environmental issues and repays society, he said. Heading towards the econ-friendly industries in the next 10 years, CMO has already set up the LED product maker Chi Mei Lighting Technology (CMLT), and the photovoltaic (PV) module company Chi Mei Energy (CME), he said. The LED product maker has already started making profits, and the Chi Mei Group will invest more to expand its capacity, Ho said. For CME, equipment installation will start by the end of 2008, with an initial capacity of 25MWp, and volume production will begin in the first half of 2009, he added. While the LCD panel industry will continue to grow, the pace of growth will not be as fast that in the last 10 years, Ho said. Therefore CMO will slow down its investments in the LCD panel business, he added. News Source:  Digitimes