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LG Display, "First large OLED to have independent red and green configurations
Launched on TV in March… President Jeong Cheol-dong: “We will turn a profit this year”
At the 'LG Display 4th Generation OLED Technology Briefing' held at LG Science Park in Magok, Seoul on the 16th, Jin-sang Lee, a large PQ Task researcher (right), is giving a presentation.
LG Display announced that it is "mass-producing the first large-size organic light-emitting diode (OLED) product with red (R) and green (G) independently configured in a 4-stack configuration."
LG Display disclosed this information at the '4th Generation OLED' technology briefing held at LG Science Park in Magok, Seoul on the 16th. The 4th generation OLED refers to 4-stack white (W)-OLED.
4-stack W-OLED is made by sequentially depositing anode-red (R)-blue (B)-green (G)-blue (B)-cathode on a glass substrate. W-OLED implements color by passing white light created by multiple light-emitting layers through color filters.
The existing W-OLED was a 3-stack structure product of blue (B) - yellow (Y) - blue (B). In the 3-stack, the yellow (Y) layer formed one layer together with green (G), yellow-green (YG), and red (R). In the 3-stack W-OLED, the various colors that were in charge of yellow are each separated and occupy independent red (R) and green (G) layers in the 4-stack W-OLED.
LG Display emphasized, "The core of the 4-stack W-OLED is that the red (R) and green (G) in the middle (of the 3-stack W-OLED) were combined and configured independently," adding, "This technology is the first in the large OLED industry." He added, "In the stack structure, there are many changes in color and efficiency characteristics depending on the height of each OLED (light-emitting layer) and which color is in which location," and "We implemented a method to optimize the unique color efficiency and other characteristics by separating each color in a single layer."
In the 4-stack W-OLED, deuterium substitution technology was used in the blue (B) layer and the green (G) layer. Deuterium substitution technology was not applied to the red (R) layer. The microlens array (MLA) applied to the 3rd generation W-OLED was also omitted in the 4-stack W-OLED. MLA is a technology that increases light extraction efficiency.
The maximum brightness of the 4-stack W-OLED is 4,000 nits. LG Display added, "By increasing the amount of light produced, we have increased the maximum brightness by 33% compared to the previous generation." "The three primary colors of light, red (R), green (G), and blue (B), are all separated into individual layers, increasing color purity and achieving 2,100 nits, which is 40% higher than the previous generation."
When LG Display emphasized that it was "the first in the large OLED industry," it was an explanation comparing it not only to its existing products but also to Samsung Display's quantum dot (QD)-OLED. QD-OLED is a 4-stack product that uses blue (B) and green (G). The 4-stack QD-OLED emitting layers are composed of blue (B)-blue (B)-green (G)-blue (B). The green (G) layer brightens the screen. Color is implemented when blue light passes through the QD color conversion layer. Samsung Display added a 'blue (B)-blue (B)-green (G)-blue (B)-green (G)' 5-stack QD-OLED structure, which adds a green (G) layer to the existing 4-stack structure, to this year's lineup. The 5-stack QD-OLED is initially aimed at the monitor market.
LG Display's 4-stack W-OLED (Source: LG Display)
LG Display applied a special film to the 4-stack W-OLED that offsets both the light reflected from the panel surface and the light absorbed and then reflected inside the panel. LG Display said, "We applied ultra-low reflection technology using a special film to the 4-stack W-OLED," and "It blocks 99% of internal and external light reflection, implementing perfect black, like watching a movie in a dark theater even in a living room (500 lux) in broad daylight." LG Display plans to apply the 4-stack W-OLED to its top-of-the-line W-OLED lineup for TVs this year. It also plans to sequentially install the 4-stack W-OLED in gaming OLEDs.
This product also improved energy efficiency to match the increasing power consumption of artificial intelligence (AI) TVs. LG Display explained, "We lowered the panel temperature by improving the device structure and power supply system, and energy efficiency is about 20% (based on 65 inches) higher than before."
TV manufacturers that have announced that they will mass-produce LG Display's 4-stack W-OLED this year include LG Electronics and Panasonic. LG Electronics plans to release its 4-stack OLED TV in March.
Some foreign media outlets have reported that a phosphorescent element is applied to one of the two blue (B) layers of LG Display's 4-stack W-OLED, but this is not true. Both blue (B) layers use fluorescent elements. The technology for mass production of blue phosphorescent elements has not yet been developed. The red (R) layer and green (G) layer use phosphorescent elements. In the emitting layer of Samsung Display's QD-OLED, the blue (B) layer also uses fluorescent elements, and the green (G) layer uses phosphorescent elements. The phosphorescent element has an internal luminescence efficiency of 100%, and the fluorescent element has an internal luminescence efficiency of 25%.
LG Display President Jeong Cheol-dong said ahead of the 4-stack W-OLED technology briefing, “Based on the foundation we laid last year to turn things around, we will strive to turn things around this year.” LG Display turned a profit in the fourth quarter of last year (operating profit of KRW 83.1 billion) and reduced its annual deficit by KRW 2 trillion (operating loss of KRW 2.51 trillion in 2023 ? operating loss of KRW 560 billion in 2024).
LG Display President Jeong Cheol-dong is giving a speech ahead of the 'LG Display 4th Generation OLED Technology Briefing' held at LG Science Park in Magok, Seoul on the 16th. (Data = LG Display)
Below is a Q&A with President Jeong Cheol-dong about 4th generation OLED technology.
[Q&A with President Jeong Cheol-dong]
Q. Last year, it turned a profit in the fourth quarter (operating profit of 83.1 billion won), and the annual deficit decreased by 2 trillion won (operating loss of 2.51 trillion won in 2023 ? operating loss of 560 billion won in 2024). I wonder when you expect a quarterly turnaround this year. This year, there are many variables such as pursuit by Chinese companies, and the business conditions are expected to be poor. Please tell me about LG Display's response strategy or turnaround strategy.
A. This year's business environment will not improve compared to previous years. There are opportunities such as AI, but it will not be easy for such opportunities to become reality. Last year, we worked hard on development, cost competitiveness, and quality. I think we can improve our performance this year by developing our differentiation capabilities. Quarterly forecasts are not easy. We will do our best to turn around this year.
Q. It’s been a year since President Jeong Cheol-dong moved from LG Innotek to LG Display. Please tell us about your thoughts on the past year and your plans for this year.
A. The goal for this year is to leap forward based on the foundation that was built last year. The meaning of leap forward is a meaningful turnaround. What we focused on for the past year is to improve performance, such as development and basic capacity improvement. As a result of the efforts of all members, (last year’s) performance was not a turnaround, but it was greatly improved, so the confidence of the members increased, and the members were able to run in one direction, which was the achievement for the past year. If we move forward based on last year’s performance, we will be able to achieve our goal this year.
[4th Generation OLED Q&A]
Attendees include Kang Won-seok, Senior Managing Director in charge of large product planning, Lee Tae-rim, Senior Managing Director in charge of large product development 1, and Lee Jin-sang, Research Fellow of the Large Image Quality Development Task (PQ Task).
Q. Please tell us whether the maximum brightness of 4,000 nits of the 4th generation OLED is the best level in the global display market and how much of a gap there is compared to Chinese competitors and latecomers.
A. Currently, there is no Chinese panel company that is mass producing large OLEDs for TVs. It is difficult to express the gap in years. It has been about 10 years since we started the OLED business, and this year is the 11th year of mass production and sales of OLEDs for TVs. I think there is at least that much of a gap. If (Chinese panel companies) are doing R&D, it would be slightly less than that.
Q. Please explain the significance of changing from 3-stack (3rd generation OLED) to 4-stack (4th generation OLED).
A. Blue has much lower device efficiency than other colors such as red, so both our W-OLED and (Samsung Display) QD-OLED basically use two or more blue layers. Until last year, W-OLED products expressed yellow by mixing red and green between two blue layers. The key to this year’s 4th-generation OLED is that the red and green that were combined in the middle are now placed in separate layers. Red and green are configured independently.
This technology is the first of its kind in the large OLED industry. It is a difficult technology. In a tandem structure, the color and efficiency characteristics change greatly depending on the height and location of each OLED (light-emitting layer). We implemented a method to optimize the efficiency and other characteristics of each color by separating each color in one layer. The 4th generation OLED is significant in that each color exists in an independent layer.
Q. It is known that Samsung Electronics is also adopting the 4th generation OLED in its 83-inch TV. Please confirm this. In addition to Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, please tell us about the supply outlook for customers such as Sony, Panasonic, and Philips.
A. Regarding the customer lineup, it is difficult to give a definite answer like 'yes or no' because it can affect the customer's business. It is evaluated that it can be applied to premium TVs even within OLED. Currently, LG Display is the only company that has a full lineup of OLED TVs from 97 inches to 42 inches or 8K. I think it can be estimated by inference.
Q. LG Electronics also expanded its Mini LED TV to 100 inches, and the trend is toward ultra-large LCD-based TVs. There is also a view that the 4th generation OLED may have difficulty appealing to general consumers due to its price competitiveness. Please tell us about the direction for popularizing large OLEDs in terms of product planning.
A. One of the trends in Chinese TVs is the giant screen and the ultra-large screen. OLED already has ultra-large products. There are 97-inch, 88-inch, 83-inch, and 77-inch products. However, the question is whether they can be accepted by general consumers by lowering the cost and making the price competitive.
One thing that is clear is that what Chinese companies are pursuing in mini LED LCD is to implement 'OLED-like' picture quality. The number of local dimming blocks in BLU is currently 680 blocks, but at the exhibition, they are showing 5,000 blocks and 10,000 blocks, claiming, 'We are also comparable to OLED.' From a product planning perspective, this is to dazzle consumers.
OLED controls each pixel corresponding to 4K. 4K UHD TV has about 8 million pixels. In terms of LCD, OLED TV can be expressed as a TV that does 8 million block local dimming.
The reason why this is important is that in his keynote speech at CES 2025, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang touted the excellence of the RTX 50 GPU, saying that it can control ray tracing on a pixel-by-pixel basis to achieve optimal image quality. OLED TV is the only display in the world that can properly implement the input signal on a pixel-by-pixel basis. We have already achieved the best image quality in the ultra-large area, and we are planning to continue to reduce the cost and launch two or three series in the ultra-large area.
Q. At last year's CES, LG Display said, "We will have to consider whether to implement higher nits than the maximum of 3,000 nits at the time due to cost issues." After only one year, they released a 4,000 nit product. I wonder if they have resolved the cost issue.
A. I think that the performance improvement from 3,000 nits to 4,000 nits was experienced and understood by consumers through the exhibition (for the press). OLED elements account for a small portion of the overall OLED display cost. When going from a 3-stack to a 4-stack, more physical materials are used, so the material cost increases somewhat, but we have internally worked on cost reduction activities such as operational efficiency in 2024. We judged that the overall product cost can be maintained at a price range acceptable to consumers.
Q. Even if you come up with good technology, you still need to be selected by the market. Chinese companies are practically not jumping into OLED TVs, and with mini LED TVs becoming the mainstream, what do you think the future market potential of large OLED TV panels is realistically? (There is an error in the question: TCL is the only Chinese TV company that does not have an OLED TV lineup, and last year, mini LED TV shipments approached OLED TV shipments for the first time. However, Chinese TV companies and panel companies are pushing mini LED TVs using LCD.)
A. Currently, among the companies doing TV business worldwide, there is only one company (TCL) that does not have an OLED TV lineup. The other Chinese companies are unable to do so due to special circumstances in the Chinese domestic market, but if they want to expand globally in North America or Europe, they are doing so with our products. We believe that they are sufficiently competitive.
Q. I heard that the 4th generation OLED production is ready first at the Guangzhou factory in China. I am curious about whether this is true and the background. I am also curious about whether the Paju factory is ready for production.
A. Please understand that I can only answer questions related to TV product technology.
Q. I understand that the 4th generation OLED also has a back-emitting structure. Can we expect a front-emitting structure in the future 5th or 6th generation OLED, and can we expect blue phosphorescence to be applied?
A. If we include a story about the very future, we do not only have the back-emitting structure technology. If we need a different form, a front-emitting structure OLED, at some point through strategic judgment, we can choose that. However, for the time being, if we look at our roadmap for the next 1-2 years, the current back-emitting structure is making specifications that are competitive enough for large sizes and reaching the level of making the desired cost, so we plan to maintain the back-emitting structure for the time being. There are some open endings.
Q. Please tell us about the sales target for the 4th generation OLED this year and the forecast for its contribution to sales.
A. I will tell you during the earnings conference call next week (the 22nd).
Q. It seems like the OLED generation replacement cycle is getting faster. I wonder if this trend will continue in the future.
A. It took about 10 years to go from the first generation to the second. Since then, we have been changing the large OLED generation every 1-2 years by installing new technologies. The speed is increasing as not only us but also related companies around us are getting involved in the infrastructure. If we have made the fourth generation product by changing the OLED element performance, we are also preparing many technologies in all areas such as software, operation, and circuits, so the generation change will become faster and faster.
Q. Please tell us what OLED can offer to TV set manufacturers.
A. Regarding the value that can be provided to TV set manufacturers, the TV industry has been discovering new differentiated value that can be provided to consumers centered on three axes every year. The first axis is improved picture quality, the second axis is design, and the third axis is new functions. The three axes are intertwined, and this year, TV set manufacturers are emphasizing AI TV with new AI functions. They are trying to provide optimized performance improvement value, and since we are a B2B company, we tend to prepare in advance the values ??that customers want to newly pursue and provide to consumers by assessing customer demands every year. For set manufacturers, we are continuously preparing panel preparations for display picture quality and design differentiation, and we set up release plans for that year in line with the set strategy.
At the 'LG Display 4th Generation OLED Technology Briefing' held at LG Science Park in Magok, Seoul on the 16th, Kang Won-seok, Senior Managing Director in charge of large product planning (center), Lee Tae-rim, Senior Managing Director in charge of large product development 1 (left), and Lee Jin-sang, Senior Researcher of Large PQ Task (right) are answering questions. (Data = LG Display)
The Elec = Reporter Lee Gi-jong gjgj@thelec.kr
«The Elec, a specialized media outlet for semiconductors, displays, batteries, battlefields, ICT, games, and content»
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#LG Display #OLED #LG Electronics #Samsung Electronics #Panasonic
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