Panasonic has inked a deal with Sony to jointly develop advanced organic light-emitting diode (OLED) modules and panels for televisions and large displays, using their printing and core technologies.
Panasonic and Sony have plans to devise printing method-based advanced OLED technology, which will be ideal for volume manufacturing of large, high-resolution modules and panels at a lower cost. They intend to launch mass-production technology in 2013, by combining their novel technologies to optimize the overall effectiveness of development.
In 2007, Sony introduced an 11-inch OLED television model, which was the first such television of its kind in the world. In 2011, the company unveiled a 25-inch professional OLED monitor and keeps on developing products and mass-producing OLED displays using deposition technologies. Moreover, the company is actively involved in the research and development of advanced OLED technologies, including thin film transistor (TFT) drivers such as flexible organic TFTs and oxide TFTs, and hybrid OLED element devices and manufacturing technologies that integrate printing and deposition techniques.
Panasonic is a major player in the technology advancement of large-sized, high-resolution OLED panels. The company uses advanced ‘all printing method,’ which can economically manufacture large-sized screens. The company owns innovative manufacturing and equipment technologies that allow OLED panel production using this method. It is also involved in the research and development of innovations in flexible OLED panels, with plans to produce large-size superior-quality sheet-type displays.
Besides jointly devising next-generation technologies for the development of OLED modules and panels, Panasonic and Sony intend to explore the ways to mass-produce OLED modules and panels. Moreover, both companies intend to use their expertise to design and market their own competitive, superior-performance large-sized displays and OLED TVs.