THE FREE-FORM TREND
As the demand for foldable, rollable, and lightweight displays grows, so does the necessity for robust and reliable materials that can withstand the requirements of state-of-the-art technology.
THE CHALLENGE OF FREE-FORM FACTORS
Contrary to the flat, rectangular shape of standard displays, free-form OLED (organic light-emitting diode) displays offer custom shapes and novel design features with surfaces that can be bent, folded, stretched, or rolled. Demanding environmental conditions are a challenge for OLED displays in e. g. automotive use, as they lead to reduced lifetimes because of moisture and oxygen infiltration.
To enable these properties, the display materials in these devices must be thin yet robust to prevent display stress caused by continuous folding and rolling.
Compared to standard displays, free-form OLED screens require the display module to be about 60% thinner.
Device design: Rigid vs free-form
Comparing the thickness difference between a rigid and fully flexible device, the overall thickness is significantly reduced, and this reduced thickness of the device and of the thin-film encapsulation layer leads to another challenge which is touch sensitivity. The closer the touch panel is to the backplane the stronger the interference.
Our encapsulation solutions
For lifetime enhancement and robustness
With liviFlex™ encapsulation materials, we offer a range of new barrier materials that demonstrate superior flexibility, higher reliability, and longer lifetime in flexible OLED devices, addressing challenges in the manufacture of flexible, foldable and rollable OLED displays, which are known as free-form displays.
The encapsulation layer consists of at least three layers such as inorganic, organic, and inorganic layer, in order to protect OLED devices from moisture and oxygen.
As the most advanced thin-film deposition technology, our low-temperature ALD silicon materials offer highly improved barrier characteristics with better conformability, flexibility, and durability. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) realizes uniquely dense pinhole-free films that lead to high-quality ultra-thin moisture-barrier layers and anti-oxidation films.
The paramount consideration in the development of thinner OLED devices is the imperative to mitigate touch noise. Our advanced lower dielectric organic materials (low-k) provide substantially improved touch sensitivity, leveraging cutting-edge inkjet technology.
We provide advanced low-k organic TFE layers featuring:
- Solvent-free inks, specifically formulated for inkjet printing
- UV curable technology at room temperature
- A dielectric constant value below 2.5
- Materials that exhibit exceptional optical and mechanical durability
We are at the forefront of developing advanced low-k solutions for enhanced touch sensitivity in flexible displays. Our materials, featuring a dielectric constant below 2.5, are designed to reduce interference in OLED devices, ensuring improved touch sensitivity.
Our silicon precursor solutions
Display layouts need to be thinner yet robust under deformation without impacting performance in order to enable the free-form factor. With these parameters in mind, the liviFlex™ portfolio has been created to offer a set of new solutions that operate in unison in the device.
Our Silicon Precursors are chemistries enabling thin-film Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) of dielectrics and low-k dielectrics for next gen display solutions.
Atomic layer deposition thin-film encapsulation (ALD TFE) technology enables flexible OLEDs in superior display devices by achieving thinner dimensions, higher reliability, and longer lifetime compared to conventional TFE technologies. This corresponds with a trend to lower temperature ALD TFE technology.
Enabling next gen OLED applications
Our silicon precursors are chemistries enabling thin film Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) of SiOx and SiNx encapsulation films for next generation OLED applications.
As a pioneer in display materials, we are committed to providing our customers with solutions that enable new form factors. As the most advanced thin-film deposition technology, our low-temperature ALD silicon materials offer highly improved barrier characteristics - 20 times thinner than existing solutions.
Did you know?
Our low-temperature atomic layer deposition material enabling thin-film encapsulation for flexible OLED displays won the SID 2023 “Display Component of The Year” Industry Award.
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liviFlex™ is a curious technology platform in constant search for new ideas and products to enable next generation of display devices.
Outlook
We offer certified OLED materials for commercial products and strives to help advance such devices through new market solutions. liviFlex™ aims to cover market solutions that require highly innovative and engineered solutions to enable free-form displays. liviFlex™ focuses on key functional layers in the display layout, including, but not limited to, cover films, and organic encapsulation layers. Our liviFlex™ series of polymerizable hard coat solutions covers key technology parameters including hardness, scratch resistance and flexibility. Join us as we explore the next generation of display solutions, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the world of OLED and LC displays. Our commitment to innovation ensures that we are not just meeting the future's challenges but defining them.
