Towards semi-transparent microLED displays with a printed backplane

We are witnessing an increased interest in semi-transparent display and signage devices for a wide range of applications. A number of these applications involve integration of such devices in between glass laminates. These applications have 3 major, common requirements: a). Transparency to ensure see-through when the device is not ON b). Ultra-thin form factor to ensure that the device can be sandwiched between glass laminates, c) Lifetime in the order of multiple years. Furthermore, some of the applications require a non-planar form factor, as well as highly robust devices that can survive the autoclave process used for glass lamination. To address the above diverse and stringent requirements of our customers, TracXon is pursuing a combination of high-resolution multi-layered printing on transparent and flexible plastic film for the backplane and flip-chip assembly of small LEDs on this circuitry. The resulting device is then encapsulated with a specific material to ensure its robustness for downstream processes. In this talk, the current state of this technology aimed at mass-manufacturing semi-transparent displays will be presented, along with a short summary on the future outlook.