DuPont cuts deals in displays and LEDs

17 Jun 2002

Holographic reflectors and poly-OLEDs will get a commercial boost from new licensing agreements.

DuPont's displays subsidiary Uniax has licensed patents and transfers technology for the manufacture of polymer-based organic light-emitting displays (poly-OLEDs) to Osram Opto Semiconductors in Germany, a joint venture of Osram and Infineon.

Osram intends to develop the semiconductor light business consistently as a new growth area. A pilot line for poly-OLEDs is being set up in Malaysia. Osram Opto Semiconductors and Uniax worked together on the development of a graphic display in Poly-OLED technology for 5 years. "We are very happy to see such a long and fruitful relationship with Uniax culminate in a technology and license agreement," said Erwin Wolf, president and CEO of Osram Opto Semiconductors.

DuPont estimates that the poly-OLED displays market could reach USD 3 to 4 billion in 2005. The technology offers performance benefits for end users in wireless applications that include improvements in contrast ratio, brightness and power efficiency and reduced weight. The company claims that Uniax produced the world's first light-emitting polymer displays together with the manufacturing expertise that will enable early product introduction.

"We are extremely pleased by this vote of confidence in poly-OLED technology from an industry leader that has made production-asset commitments," said Boo Nilsson, vice president of Display Operations at Uniax.