Abstract
MicroLED display is considered one of the most promising technologies for next-generation displays. However, the high manufacturing cost has been a major obstacle to its accessibility to the general consumer market, and mass transfer, an essential process to achieve cost-effective manufacturing, has not yet reached commercial maturity. Critical issues, such as microLED chips, transfer equipments, and process materials, need to be addressed for the mass transfer technologies. In this work, we present a 1.63-inch full color microLED display module fabricated with laser mass transfer, which has a pixel density of 403 pixels per inch (PPI), the highest resolution ever achieved in the industry using mass transfer technologies. The laser mass transfer is realized with three process nodes: laser lift-off, laser induced forward transfer, and carrier bonding. Each node has been well explored to improve yields. Insights into the present progress and the future development of the laser mass transfer will be shared in this work.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lin J Y, Jiang H X. Development of microLED. Appl Phys Lett, 2020, 116: 100502
Chen Z, Yan S, Danesh C. MicroLED technologies and applications: characteristics, fabrication, progress, and challenges. J Phys D-Appl Phys, 2021, 54: 123001
Parbrook P J, Corbett B, Han J, et al. Micro-light emitting diode: from chips to applications. Laser Photon Rev, 2021, 15: 2000133
Anwar A R, Sajjad M T, Johar M A, et al. Recent progress in micro-LED-based display technologies. Laser Photon Rev, 2022, 16: 2100427
Chen D, Chen Y C, Zeng G, et al. Integration technology of micro-LED for next-generation display. Research, 2023, 6: 0047
Lin C C, Wu Y R, Kuo H C, et al. The micro-LED roadmap: status quo and prospects. J Phys Photonics, 2023, 5: 042502
Jiang H X, Jin S X, Li J, et al. III-nitride blue microdisplays. Appl Phys Lett, 2001, 78: 1303–1305
SONY. Sony develops next-generation display, “crystal LED display”, ideal for high picture quality on large screens. 2012. https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/News/Press/201201/12-005E/
SAMSUNG. Samsung unveils “the wall,” the world’s first modular microLED 146-inch TV. 2018. https://news.samsung.com/us/samsung-the-wall-microled-146-inch-tv-ces2018/
Yole Group. A fatal blow for the microLED? 2024. https://www.yolegroup.com/strategy-insights/a-fatal-blow-for-the-microled/
Yole Group. Did Apple just kill the microLED industry? 2024. https://www.yolegroup.com/strategy-insights/did-apple-just-kill-the-microled-industry/
Zhu G, Liu Y, Ming R, et al. Mass transfer, detection and repair technologies in micro-LED displays. Sci China Mater, 2022, 65: 2128–2153
Chen F, Bian J, Hu J, et al. Mass transfer techniques for large-scale and high-density microLED arrays. Int J Extrem Manuf, 2022, 4: 042005
Meitl M A, Zhu Z T, Kumar V, et al. Transfer printing by kinetic control of adhesion to an elastomeric stamp. Nat Mater, 2006, 5: 33–38
Zhang B, Haupt O. 55.4: MicroLED — high throughput laser based mass transfer technology. Symp Digest Tech Papers, 2021, 52: 664–667
Biswas S, Mozafari M, Stauden T, et al. Surface tension directed fluidic self-assembly of semiconductor chips across length scales and material boundaries. Micromachines, 2016, 7: 54
Jacobs H O, Tao A R, Schwartz A, et al. Fabrication of a cylindrical display by patterned assembly. Science, 2002, 296: 323–325
Park S, Fang J, Biswas S, et al. A first implementation of an automated reel-to-reel fluidic self-assembly machine. Adv Mater, 2014, 26: 5942–5949
Park S C, Fang J, Biswas S, et al. Approaching roll-to-roll fluidic self-assembly: relevant parameters, machine design, and applications. J Microelectromech Syst, 2015, 24: 1928–1937
Chang W, Kim J, Kim M, et al. Concurrent self-assembly of RGB microLEDs for next-generation displays. Nature, 2023, 617: 287–291
Li J, Yan G, Luo B, et al. Study of transfer-printing technologies for micro-LED displays. Symp Digest Tech Papers, 2020, 51: 125–128
Kim J H, Kim B C, Lim D W, et al. Control of adhesion force for micro LED transfer using a magnetorheological elastomer. J Mech Sci Technol, 2019, 33: 5321–5325
Henley F J. 52-3: invited paper: combining engineered EPI growth substrate materials with novel test and mass-transfer equipment to enable microLED mass-production. Symp Digest Tech Papers, 2018, 49: 688–691
Marinov V R. 52-4: laser-enabled extremely-high rate technology for µLED assembly. Symp Digest Tech Papers, 2018, 49: 692–695
Zhuang Z, Iida D, Ohkawa K. InGaN-based red light-emitting diodes: from traditional to micro-LEDs. Jpn J Appl Phys, 2022, 61: SA0809
Stewart J S, Fardel R, Nagel M, et al. The effect of laser pulse length upon laser-induced forward transfer using a triazene polymer as a dynamic release layer. J Optoelectron Adv Mater, 2010, 12: 605–609
Bian J, Chen F, Yang B, et al. Laser-induced interfacial spallation for controllable and versatile delamination of flexible electronics. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2020, 12: 54230–54240
Fujiwara H, Hayashi T, Fukumura H, et al. Each dopant can absorb more than ten photons: transient absorbance measurement at excitation laser wavelength in polymer ablation. Appl Phys Lett, 1994, 64: 2451–2453
Acknowledgements
This work was supported in part by National Key Research and Development Program (Grant No. 2022YF-F0609504), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 62174141, 61874090), Key Scientific and Technological Program of Xiamen (Grant No. 3502Z20231048), and Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province of China (Grant No. 2021J01008).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yang, X., Li, J., Peng, X. et al. Super retina TFT based full color microLED display via laser mass transfer. Sci. China Inf. Sci. 67, 210401 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-024-4111-9
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Version of record:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-024-4111-9


