HC SemiTek’s new Mini LED product press conference with the theme of “Chip for Beautiful Displays” and micro-display strategic cooperation signing ceremony was held at JW Marriott Hotel Shenzhen on September 26. 

As the demand for 5G and smart display rapidly grows, the market demand for 4K8K LED large screens is expected to see explosive growth. As a domestic LED display chip leader, how will HC SemiTek meet the rapid growth of this market segment? 

According to the latest data from LEDinside, the advantages of Mini LED and Micro LED technology in the display sector attract sustained attention in the industry following the rapid development of the small-spacing display market and the increasing demands on display technology. Mini LED displays can be used in TVs, mobile phones, vehicle display systems, and digital displays (commercial ad and display, etc.). The market size is expected to reach $1.07 billion in 2025. The market value of TV backplanes using Mini LED backlight is expected to reach $8.2 billion in 2023. Of this, 20% of the cost is used for Mini LED chips. 

In his speech, Chu Yuchao said that more and more manufacturers entered the Mini/Micro LED sector and launched corresponding products. Commercialization is significantly sped up. Mass production and application of Mini LED backlight commence, which greatly improves the contrast of displays. It is now a stage of cost reduction, and this requires the concerted efforts of the industry. Micro LED is still in the stage of technical exploration, and legions of technical problems remain to be solved. The new displays provide the opportunity for surpassing competitors in Micro LED technology. 

As the second-largest LED chip producer in China, HC SemiTek pointed out that Mini RGB display and Mini BlU display market promise huge potential for future development, and Mini BlU is on a par with OLED in terms of display effect. Mini and Micro LED displays will become more advanced display technologies and also the development trend of future display applications. Since its inception, HC SemiTek has been studying the development trend of LED epitaxial wafers and chip technology, with fruitful results achieved. HC SemiTek has also developed Mini LED and Micro LED technology, and substantial progress has been made. 

The new product release focuses on HC SemiTek’s technological advance in micro displays and its future technology plan. HC SemiTek’s Mini LED and Micro LED products have been optimized in terms of epitaxy and chip process, and technological breakthroughs have been made in many projects. 

In terms of mini RGB LED chip optimization, HC has produced efficient passivation layer for smooth coverage of the metal connection layer. Given the common display anomaly of Mura effect in COB package form, HC SemiTek can eliminate the Mura effect in COB applications through its unique chip mixing technology. Moreover, as the chip size decreases, the solder paste-free chip packaging solution will hold the key to improving yield and curtailing costs. HC SemiTek is capable of applying solder balls directly to Mini LED chip electrodes. In terms of mini BLU chip optimization, HC SemiTek has optimized the film structure design and adjusted the chip’s extraction efficiency for easier ultra-thin design.  

At the HC press conference, Lin Mingfeng, Chairman of Unilumin, said that Mini LED chips promise huge market potential in the future. If the mobile phone screen is said to be a medium for communication between people and the TV screen for communication for family members, then outdoor display is the communication channel in public spaces. Opportunities in this market will emerge when the cost of LED chips drops to a certain level. 

HC 3x6 Mini RGB LED chips designed for 4K8K LED high-definition large screens will open up the market for high-definition displays.

Moreover, epitaxial materials, chip technology, and the yield of mass transfer will significantly affect the manufacturing and repair costs of Micro LED, which determine the application of Micro LED on different terminals. In terms of Micro LED chip optimization, HC carries out deep etching oblique optimization to achieve micron-level line width control and selects substrate laser lift-off technology.

Regarding the future technology development, HC SemiTek is filing for patents in new-generation display chips, covering epitaxial structure, chip structure, and technology production process. It has filed applications for 88 patents, including 77 invention patents and 11 utility models; a total of 40 patents have been authorized, including 29 invention patents and 1 utility model. 

It is understood that HC SemiTek has achieved mass shipment of Mini RGB LED chips which are praised by customers for high stability. HC SemiTek has forged strategic cooperation with end customers in Mini BLU LED chips, and steady progress has been made in research and development. HC Mini LED chips have been exhibited at major high-end professional exhibitions by end customers, such as InfoComm in Amsterdam, the Netherlands; InfoComm in Orlando, U.S.; and Display International in Taipei. HC promotes the continuous improvement in display technology with end customers. In terms of Micro LED technology, HC SemiTek is also a forerunner in this field, and its joint development with key customers at home and abroad is ongoing. 

In addition, the signing ceremony for HC SemiTek’s strategic cooperation with many well-known companies in micro displays also attracted great attention. 

The companies that have forged strategic cooperation agreements with HC SemiTek include: BOE, Sharp, Innolux, Unilumin, CITEX Electronics, Ledman and HCP Technology, covering mainstream companies in the high-end display industrial chain. HC SemiTek is a leading LED chip producer in China, and its cooperation with a number of display solution providers can be said to be a winning combination. 

Regarding this strategic cooperation, HC SemiTek and its strategic partners said that in order to give full play to their respective resources and core technologies and meet diversified market demands, they will foster strategic cooperation in industry, business and technology based on the principles of complementary advantages and mutual benefit, and, on this basis, strengthen all-round collaboration in business and build a world-leading LED and semiconductor technology company.

According to those close to the company, HC SemiTek and well-known display companies regard each other as a preferred strategic partner. They will focus on the development and application of Mini LED display technology, especially strategic cooperation opportunities in the LED micro display sector. They will conduct deep cooperation in technical demonstration analysis, application of technical achievements, application for core intellectual property, and major project construction. 

At the meeting, President Yu of HC SemiTek cited what Bill Gates said: We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. This is also true for the LED high-end display market. The future display is beyond our imagination. HC SemiTek will also concentrate on the main business of LED and see the present as the starting point!