Porotech Unveils the World's First Monolithic Full Color MicroLED Displays for AR/VR

[TheLostSwede]

Porotech, a global leader in microLED and Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor technology, announces the world's first single-panel, full-color microdisplay suitable for augmented reality (AR) applications. The microdisplay is based on Porotech's groundbreaking Dynamic Pixel Tuning (DPT) technology, where DPT microLED pixels can emit any visible color when driven with a specific current density. Porotech will be unveiling the 0.26-inch monolithic full-color microdisplay, along with an AR development platform, during the SID Display Week in Los Angeles from 21-26 May 2023.

Having already demonstrated how a DPT pixel can create a full range of visible colors, Porotech is now unveiling the new innovative active-matrix 0.26-inch microLED display offering 1280x720 resolution, which utilizes a proprietary driving method developed by Porotech that rapidly displays red, green and blue light to enable a full-color RGB display and richly saturated colors.




Removing key manufacturing barriers
Based on existing backplane technology, the 3.5-micron microLEDs are fabricated on a 4.5-micron pixel pitch. Porotech's microLEDs emitter size can be larger while keeping the resolution because subpixels are no longer required. With Porotech's DPT technology, full color native microLED displays can now be unlocked with a single LED epitaxial growth and a one-step wafer-to-wafer bonding to the CMOS backplane. This removes complex and low yield manufacturing barriers inherent with alternative approaches.

In response to the future of Displays
MicroLEDs represent the leading viable solution for the future of displays in AR glasses, offering benefits such as improved brightness, energy efficiency, contrast ratio, longer device lifetimes, reduced display size, along with greater pixel densities and resolutions. Many AR developers have been eagerly searching and waiting for a single-panel full-color solution with high pixel density and minimum form factor.

Porotech founder and CEO Tongtong Zhu said:" This new single panel full color microdisplay marks a significant milestone for Porotech and the entire microLED industry, as only DPT pixels can meet the specification, performance, reliability, and cost required for AR glasses. Also, Porotech's DPT technology opens the market for additional display applications using microLEDs beyond AR/VR including smart watches, smart phones, tablets, flat panel TVs to large panel displays for commercial outdoor signage.

We welcome potential partners and customers to co-develop and design monolithic full color microdisplay panels, projectors and light engines for next generation AR glasses or any other display applications that can leverage Porotech's DPT technology".

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[TheLostSwede]

Video at the link below.

https://prnewswire2-a.akamaihd.net/p/1893751/sp/189375100/serveFlavor/entryId/1_0zxmqi1v/flavorId/1_plalh9hx/prn_folder/MNR/prn_id/Publish+Order+Part%3a+3868801-1+file+identifier%3a+4041475/prn_flavor/HD_MP4/prn_filename/Porotech+Video

 

[konga]

I don't know how viable this technology will end up being, but the premise is very interesting, at least: https://www.porotech.com/technology/

Essentially, they are doing away with individually colored subpixels, and while I'm not sure how it really works, they say that the color of their pixels change by controlling the electrical current. They also claim to be able to display the widest possible color gamut, essentially reproducing the entire visible light spectrum. They're focusing mainly on AR/VR to start with, but they claim that the technology is suitable for monitors and TVs as well. I'm looking at their white papers, and they're sort of leaving me with more questions than answers. If this tech pans out though, it could be really cool.

 

[lemonadesoda]

Not sure I understand this: 0.26-inch microLED display offering 1280x720 resolution. So, a display with size approximately 1cm! What is the purpose of such a small screen? Is it for camera viewfinders? But I do like the 4000dpi resolution!

 

[Dr. Dro]

Not sure I understand this: 0.26-inch microLED display offering 1280x720 resolution. So, a display with size approximately 1cm! What is the purpose of such a small screen? Is it for camera viewfinders? But I do like the 4000dpi resolution!

It could be used in VR HMDs which sit at a very close distance to your eyes, or in AR glasses.

 

[dj-electric]

Anyone who is familiar with high resolution camera EVFs will like to hear more about this tech.
Currently im used to a 1600x1200 120Hz OLED viewfinder on my camera and honestly its great, but i'd love to see something even bigger and more immersive

 

[Ferrum Master]

Anyone care to share the whitepapers? I don't want to register.

 

[londiste]

As far as tech and progress goes I think the part that does not not look too good is - 0.26-inch.
Don't get me wrong, the tech sounds and is awesome but for actually getting it to mass production size is still the primary problem.

 

[konga]

As far as tech and progress goes I think the part that does not not look too good is - 0.26-inch.
Don't get me wrong, the tech sounds and is awesome but for actually getting it to mass production size is still the primary problem.

This is not a display manufacturer showing this off, but a technology R&D firm. They've invented some new LED technologies and have built a tiny prototype display to showcase those technologies, hence why it's so small. They intend to license out the technology to actual display manufacturers, and they claim that it can be scaled up to large-format displays, such as TVs or digital signage. It will likely be a while before we see anything come of this, if we do see anything at all. Display manufacturers will need to evaluate the technology and then research how it can be applied to their various display types and integrated into their manufacturing process. This could take years.

 

[lemonadesoda]

Their main webpage gives a quick overview of the capability of their microLED technology and some conceptual applications https://www.porotech.com/

Video at the link below.

https://prnewswire2-a.akamaihd.net/p/1893751/sp/189375100/serveFlavor/entryId/1_0zxmqi1v/flavorId/1_plalh9hx/prn_folder/MNR/prn_id/Publish+Order+Part%3a+3868801-1+file+identifier%3a+4041475/prn_flavor/HD_MP4/prn_filename/Porotech+Video

Looks good for high contrast HUD, but not so good for photorealism.

 

[londiste]

This is not a display manufacturer showing this off, but a technology R&D firm. They've invented some new LED technologies and have built a tiny prototype display to showcase those technologies, hence why it's so small. They intend to license out the technology to actual display manufacturers, and they claim that it can be scaled up to large-format displays, such as TVs or digital signage. It will likely be a while before we see anything come of this, if we do see anything at all. Display manufacturers will need to evaluate the technology and then research how it can be applied to their various display types and integrated into their manufacturing process. This could take years.

True. But the problem and R&D challenge will still be scaling it up for manufacturing. It always is.
We have had dense enough - think normal TV density - MicroLED from research for a long while now but TV size panels are still nowhere to be seen. Even with lower density Samsung's Wall is the only real product on the market and even that is built from modules (with 240x180 resolution).

Porotech's pivot to very high density is actually a cool take. This would not have to be scaled up all that much for an actual product. 720p and 0.26-inch... 4 times that and we'd have a relatively decent VR/AR panel. At the price this is going to have it would have to scale up more though.