South Korean company Hunetplus has made a breakthrough in OLED panel technology with the development of a deposition mask using inorganic and organic hybrid materials. This cutting-edge technology surpasses previous expectations by achieving resolutions of up to 6000 pixels per inch (ppi), making it applicable for us in future extended reality (XR) devices. The conventional deposition masks made of nickel and iron alloys could only reach resolutions of up to 500 ppi and were expensive to produce.
Hunetplus tackled these limitations by exploring innovative ways of utilizing inorganic and organic hybrid materials, resulting in a new deposition mask that overcomes the sag phenomenon of conventional masks and significantly reduces production costs. The sag phenomenon refers to a common issue that occurs with conventional deposition masks used in OLED panel fabrication. When the deposition mask is subjected to high temperatures and pressure during OLED panel fabrication, it can deform or warp due to its own weight. This deformation results in uneven gaps or spacing between the mask and the panel, leading to inaccuracies in the deposition of materials onto the panel surface. As a consequence, the resulting OLED panel may exhibit imperfections, such as uneven pixel structures or distorted patterns.
In the context of the Korean firm’s development, its breakthrough enables the production of OLED panels with ultra-high resolutions ranging from 2000 to 8000 ppi. The company expects its new product to become a viable alternative in the deposition mask market, which is projected to grow by 30% annually and exceed $3 billion by 2026.
