What They Say
The Elec reported that Apple has requested a sample of a Fine Metal Mask (FMM) from APS Holdings that is reported to be able to deposit OLED pixels at 3000ppi, 5X better than typical smartphone displays at around 600ppi. The firm has been developing laser drilling for the holes, rather than the wet etching used for other masks, the Elec reported.
In May, the report said, APS Holdings was chosen by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to develop a MicroOLED display technology for high luminance and high resolution AR application. The national project’s aim is to develop a AR glass with 4000ppi resolution by 2024.
What We Think
My guess is that APS will not have made itself popular in Cupertino by allowing this information to be published, but that Apple might be looking at microdisplays for AR applications is hardly news and a request for a sample is a long way from a product. However, such news can cause ripples. I remember when Compaq (it was that long ago) put out an RFQ for a monitor that would have a very simple digital interface to allow a low cost PC to be built. So many makers of interfaces, cables and connectors jumped on the idea that it eventually had to be standardised as the VESA DFP interface.
There’s a paper from SID in 2018 that covers this topic and was writted by APS. As well as describing the wet etch process, it looks at electroforming the mask by photolithography. It also acknowledges the difficulty in making the kind of taper angles desired for masks using laser manufacturing (and the slower production process) (BR)
FMM Etching – click for higher resolution
