Saphlux takes monolithic microLED display close to production

Technology News | January 25, 2024

By Peter Clarke

Ten-year-old startup Saphlux Inc. (San Diego, Calif.) has introduced the T2 series of monolithic full-color microLED dispays based on its NPQD technology.

The T2 is a development from the T1 series announced in 2023 (see Full-color nanopore quantum dot micro-display for AR/VR) with enhanced brightness and color performance.

The Saphlux T series micro-displays incorporate core technologies, including nanopore quantum dot (NPQD) and large-scale silicon-based bonding, specifically tailored for augmented reality display applications. The series currently encompasses 0.12-inch monochrome single-color (red, green, blue) micro-displays and 0.39-inch monolithic full-color micro-displays.

The essence of NPQD technology is the embedding of red and green quantum dots into the nanopores of gallium nitride, enabling direct color conversion on a blue mLED wafer.

Time for T

The T2 at 0.39-inch diagonal has a display area of 7.89mm by 5.91mm, a resolution of 512 by 384 pixels on 15-micron pixel pitch resulting in a density of 1641 pixels per inch.

“Compared to its predecessor, the T2-0.39 microdisplay boasts a 70 percent improvement in color gamut and a 40 percent increase in brightness, rendering more vivid and true-to-life colors across various application scenarios,” said Song Jie, vice president of technology at Saphlux, in a statement.

The company said it plans to introduce a 0.26-inch full-color microLED display, based on this upgraded technology, that meets the DCI-P3 color standard by the end of the 2Q24, with an expected peak brightness exceeding 500,000 nits. Saphux plans to mass-produce the 0.26-inch display in the 2H24 to meed the demands of AR glasses makers.