Critical Manufacturing, a subsidiary of ASMPT, announced that British technology firm Plessey has implemented its Manufacturing Execution System (MES) to support experimental MicroLED manufacturing processes.
Plessey employs a unique monolithic GaN-on-Silicon technology to manufacture MicroLED displays, eliminating the need for the conventional transfer process. This begins with the growth of GaN LEDs directly onto silicon wafers, an approach that significantly enhances scalability and cost efficiency. Following growth, pixels are defined through the introduction of blocking material, which ensures both electrical and optical isolation, allowing each pixel to operate independently. Subsequently, the processed GaN wafer is bonded onto a silicon backplane equipped with control electronics for rapid data transmission and minimal latency. The original growth substrate is then removed, enhancing light extraction efficiency essential for high-brightness displays. Plessey’s method is used to create single-color displays in red, green, and blue; notably, red emission is achieved by using blue LEDs combined with red-emitting quantum dots due to inherent difficulties with direct red-emitting GaN LEDs. The primary advantages of Plessey’s technology include simplified manufacturing through monolithic integration, high brightness with reduced power consumption suited for augmented reality applications, and improved scalability via the use of silicon wafers.
Plessey maintains an experimental manufacturing setup at its Devon facility in the United Kingdom. The facility’s production processes frequently explore new approaches, requiring a system capable of effectively managing varied experimental methods . Critical Manufacturing MES was selected due to its Experiments Management module, which enables tracking and analysis of experimental runs without the traditional use of part identification.
