Display maker Japan Display has announced that its new 'eLeap' type of OLED displays will enter mass production by the end of 2024, initially for laptops, smartphones, and wearables.
We had RGB OLED for a short while, and now we have LG Display's WOLED and Samsung Display's QD-OLED.
A new OLED alternative is emerging from Japan Display (JDI) – the merger of Sony, Toshiba, and Hitachi's display panel businesses – dubbed 'eLeap'. It was unveiled in 2022, promising twice the efficiency, twice the peak brightness, and three times the lifetime of existing OLED panels.
Ahead of schedule
Japan Display had originally hoped to commence mass production in 2025 but now says that it is ahead of schedule.
- "Having started test production in October 2023, JDI is currently ramping up for December 2024 eLEAP mass production at its G6 fab in Mobara, Japan. The production ramp is well ahead of plan: eight months ahead of launch, JDI has already achieved a production yield of over 60%, underscoring that JDI has successfully overcome the key technical hurdles for launch. JDI will supply eLEAP for use in a wide array of end-use applications, including smartwatches & wearables, smartphones, notebook PCs, and automotive displays," announced Japan Display this month.
The 6th generation (G6) plant in Japan is one of two planned. Japan Display is also hoping to establish an 8.7th generation plant in China, although its Chinese partner HKC Corp has abandoned the project. Japan Display has indicated that it may instead proceed alone in China, but the 8.7G plant will not be ready until 2027 at the earliest. An 8.7G plant would allow Japan Display to produce much larger OLED panels.
More than 3000 nits brightness
One of the first eLeap panels planned for mass production is a 14-inch OLED intended for laptop PCs. It can achieve a peak brightness of 1600 nits, according to the company, using a single-stack structure.
Conventional Fine Metal Mask OLED vs. eLeap OLED. Photo: Japan Display
Using a tandem structure, eLeap can achieve brightness levels exceeding 3000 nits, it added.
Also read: TCL's brighter printed RGB OLED TVs could arrive in 2025
At this time, no consumer brand partnerships have been announced, so it currently unclear for which devices and brands eLeap is intended.
eLEAP is short for environment positive, Lithography with maskless deposition, Extreme long life, low power, and high luminance, Any shape Patterning. It is the first OLED to use photolithography for maskless deposition, allowing for higher brightness and longer lifetime.
