We visited Photonics West yesterday looking for evidence of laser and laser-system developments aimed at the display industry. Despite the recent enthusiasm for LED-based displays and some behind-the-scenes demos of laser displays at CES, there was very little evidence of this at Photonics West. Instead, most vendors focused on more mainstream lasers and applications, particularly for the medical field.

Ken Tompkins
Insight Media Analyst

But we did get a chance to see one laser-based TV demo in a private suite run by laser-maker Coherent. This demonstration was essentially the same as that mentioned in Insight Media’s July 2005 Projection Monthly, in which we described a Coherent prototype that’s available to select individuals to prove the viability of laser-based projection products.

The Coherent demonstrator is designed as a proof -of concept only. While clearly not optimized, the quality of the video images would be more than acceptable on a retail show floor. The gamut beats any traditional light source for rear projection applications and the image brightness is high enough to immediately attract attention.

Coherent will never be a television manufacturer; they are a laser maker. But in the area of lasers for display applications, Coherent does not even want to manufacture the devices. Instead, it wants to develop the technology and then license it to a high-volume partner. Why would Coherent want to license/sell important new laser technology to others instead of mass-producing products itself? Economics.

Historically, laser makers like Coherent have focused on costly, high-performance devices that are manufactured in low volume. Clearly, lasers for the consumer TV market are a different kind of application. Here, TV pricing pressures mean laser-device price points must be low to compete with alternative illumination technologies. Low pricing means high volumes - perhaps a million devices per year. This is something most of the laser industry is not used to doing. Coherent apparently sees no benefit to moving out of its comfort zone, so it’s saying no to the manufacturing part.

This strategy differs from that of competitor Novalux and others who intend to develop, manufacture and sell a physical product to developers of CE products, starting with high-end applications. Coherent believes that the cost targets for the component are too much of a moving target.

Coherent has a good point. The investments and risks for achieving red, green and blue lasers with the power outputs and price points needed to compete in the display industry are high. Perhaps it is a better idea for a large CE company to own or license the technology so the cost of the laser can be integrated into the total cost of the TV. This way, the laser device may not need to sink or swim based upon its own profitability, but is viewed more as a strategic technology.

We will continue to monitor Coherent and other players in the emerging laser-TV space. Look for a new report on the Laser Projection Display Market from Insight Media in February.