Display Technology
MicroLED displays for next-generation consumer electronics T
here is a huge opportunity for microLEDs to replace incumbent LCD and OLED technologies in a wide range of display applications, from HDTVs to smartphones, smart watches, Head- Up/Head-Mounted Displays (HUDs/HMDs) and Augmented/Mixed Reality (AR/MR) headsets. But until now, manufacturing microLEDs has not been easy – partly because they’re so small that today’s pick- and-place technology is not accurate enough to produce the high pixels per inch (ppi) displays required for the next generation of consumer electronics. Smartphones and smart watches might typically offer 400ppi displays, based on an 80-micron pixel pitch. But moving to AR applications means the pixel pitch needs to be reduced to 40-micron or even as low as 10-micron, which is smaller than a strand of human hair.
Using gallium nitride on a substrate of
sapphire is the most widely used technique for microLEDs, however gallium nitride on a substrate of silicon (GaN-on-Si) is a strong competitor. Heat is an important factor for consumer electronics especially wearables. With silicon, this isn’t a worry as
increased energy efficiency, higher resolution and better contrast. The technique can easily be scaled to larger wafers, improving cost and yield, and circumventing the shortcomings of traditional pick-and-place such as ppi, brightness and colour matching and pixel yield unlike GaN-on-sapphire.
Plessey’s disruptive technology Plessey’s ground-breaking IP protected technology has produced an optical system that is up to 50 per cent smaller, lighter, simpler and cheaper than existing solutions. It’s significantly more efficient, too, thanks to high-performance microLED emitters and minimal optical system losses. In March 2019, Plessey used their GaN- on-Si technology, which natively emits Blue,
the substrate’s thermal conductivity means heat can be dissipated from the system much more quickly compared to the widely used sapphire substrate. As a result, GaN-on-Si LEDs are more reliable and reduce both the cost of heatsinking and the space this takes up. This also results in greater lumen output,
to innovatively engineer the early layers within the process to emit native Green. Plessey also achieved the world’s first GaN- on-Si monolithic, wafer to wafer bonding, in May this year which was a massive breakthrough for not only the company but the display industry. The fully addressed microLED display was demonstrated at SID Display Week with a pixel pitch of just 8- micron with 6-micron emitters.
Adding to the already extensive list of awards, Plessey’s microLED emissive display technology earned a double accolade win at this year’s Electronics Industry Awards which recognises GaN-on-Si monolithic microLEDs as the only solution for next-generation of AR.
plesseysemi.com
Consumer confidence remains low as companies look to provide a human touch C
onsumer confidence remains flat in Q2 amid continued economic uncertainty, according to the Deloitte
Consumer Tracker Survey. It has been revealed that the UK consumer confidence index is -8 per cent; down four percentage from this time last year. Customer experience expectations, however, show no signs of slowing, with over half of UK consumers feeling more loyal towards brands that show a deeper understanding of their preferences and priorities. This means that now more than ever, businesses will be focussing on providing a seamless digital customer experience, optimising customer engagement. While technologies like AI and automation will be critical for businesses to remain competitive in these times of such low consumer confidence, it is important not to overlook the importance of in-
person human interaction. Retailers with omnichannel strategies retain an average of 89 per cent of their customers, according to Teleperformance DIBS, and any businesses failing to focus directly on customer experience will struggle with customer retention. Rajnish Sharma, retail SME at
Teleperformance Digital Integrated Business Services, comments: “With people so worried about their personal finances in the increasing economic uncertainty, it will take a lot more than just a good product or service to persuade the average consumer to hand over their cash. Consumers are looking for frictionless, hassle-free and personalised customer experiences. In fact, in the next year the customer experience will be more important than product and price. To remain competitive in these times of
economic uncertainty, businesses need to be available to provide round-the- clock, real-time service – at the consumer’s convenience. While AI bots are widely being introduced to improve engagement and streamline communication, it’s important to note that human interactions are not just cognitive, but social and emotional.” Rajnish continues: “Regardless of whether the consumer is interacting with a brand from behind a screen, over the phone or in-person, they want their issue or query solved as quickly as possible. 96 per cent of customers who have to expend a high level of effort to get their issues resolved become more disloyal, compared to just 9 per cent who have a low-effort experience, according to Gartner.” “AI-powered chat bots act as an enabler for customer service teams and companies
need to ensure they do not underestimate the emotional intelligence which only comes from human agents. While confidence in the economy remains low and the rate of spending growth slows down, it’s the businesses that recognise the human nuance that will be the ones that stay afloat in the UK’s extremely competitive marketplace.”
www.cieonline.co.uk
Components in Electronics
September 2019 13
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