Plessey Introduces How Micro LED Technology Speeds up Developments of AR and other Smart Wearables

Plessey, the UK-based semiconductor technology provider, has successfully developed GaN-on-Si monolithic Micro LED. According to the company, the innovative development will support next generation applications such as AR headsets, head-up displays (HUD) and other smart wearables to enter the mass market.

Given their high contrast, high speed, wide viewing angle, high brightness and more efficient and longer-lasting operation, Micro LEDs are perfect for display applications on wearables such as smart watches, HUDs and AR headsets.


(Image: Plessey)

However, up until now, manufacturing Micro LEDs has not been easy due to their tiny size. Using today’s pick-and-place technology, individual Micro LEDs have to be placed on a pitch of less than 50 microns. The equipment used for this is new, expensive and still has productivity issues and as demand grows for higher pixel density, pick-and-place may no longer be viable at all.

Plessey has continued its development of LEDs made from gallium nitride on a substrate of silicon (GaN-on-Si), instead of the usual sapphire. The GaN-on-Si enables the creation of monolithic Micro LEDs which include multiple emitters on a single chip. This approach brings several key advantages, including smaller pixel pitches of as little as 8 microns, the ability to make larger LED emitters, and better contrast, thanks to GaN-on-Si’s surface-emitting properties. The technique can easily be scaled to 200mm wafers and larger, improving cost and yield.

The advancement circumvents the shortcomings of traditional pick-and-place manufacturing and gives Micro LEDs the potential to meet the demanding requirements of emerging AR and display applications. Moreover, the monolithic approach allows Micro LEDs to be built on a CMOS silicon backplane, so standard CMOS circuitry is easily integrated for high-tech applications.

Plessey has the only monolithic Micro LED solution currently available and is now licensing the technology to partners to create custom displays and light sources for a wide range of consumer electronics applications and more.

Dr. Keith Strickland, Plessey’s co-CEO and CTO, will present the company’s proprietary approach of GaN-on-Si Micro LED and introduce how the technology can better optimize AR or MR display applications. Sign up now to secure the opportunity for the first hand updates of the industry!


Disclaimers of Warranties
1. The website does not warrant the following:
1.1 The services from the website meets your requirement;
1.2 The accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the service;
1.3 The accuracy, reliability of conclusions drawn from using the service;
1.4 The accuracy, completeness, or timeliness, or security of any information that you download from the website
2. The services provided by the website is intended for your reference only. The website shall be not be responsible for investment decisions, damages, or other losses resulting from use of the website or the information contained therein<
Proprietary Rights
You may not reproduce, modify, create derivative works from, display, perform, publish, distribute, disseminate, broadcast or circulate to any third party, any materials contained on the services without the express prior written consent of the website or its legal owner.

Tokushima, Japan - 6 March 2024: Nichia, the world's largest LED manufacturer and inventor of the high-brightness blue and white LED, has started mass production of the new UV-B (308nm) and UV-A (330nm) LEDs in its popular 434 Series packa... READ MORE

New XLamp® S Line LEDs enhance growth, last longer, lower energy costs Horticulture and other forms of agricultural lighting require application-tuned ratios of spectral content, high efficacy and long lifetimes. Whether you are interested... READ MORE