News: LEDs
10 August 2022
MICLEDI launches first micro-LED devices with integrated micro-lenses
MICLEDI Microdisplays B.V. of Leuven, Belgium – a fabless developer of micro-LED display modules for augmented reality (AR) glasses – has announced what it claims are the first micro-LED devices with integrated micro-lenses for pixel-level beam shaping, manufactured in the firm’s proprietary 300mm manufacturing flow.
The new family is said to enable multiple benefits for waveguide-based AR glasses, including:
- improved power efficiency – by focusing light within the targeted waveguide cone;
- optimal waveguide in-coupling – offering additional flexibility for AR system integration and image quality improvements via controllable compensation of color dispersion;
- pixel scaling to sub-3.0-micron pitch – with highly reproducible beam shape performance.
Samples and test kits of blue and green micro-LED arrays, plus blue arrays with micro-lenses, have been delivered to customers this summer, with red micro-LEDs coming in fourth-quarter 2022. Available for both micro-LED device evaluation and for display integration with waveguides, customers will see FHD display blocks and a variety of other micro-LED structures with mesa sizes down to 0.5μm, and with micro-lens reference designs by MICLEDI.
Picture: MICLEDI’s micro-LED devices are first to offer integrated micro-lenses for pixel-level beam shaping. The micro-LED display die is in a JLCC84 package for ease of customer testing and characterization.
“We are tremendously excited to reach this milestone with customer-quality samples of each of our RGB arrays,” says CEO Sean Lord. “Customers have been clamoring for these enhanced devices. With micro-lenses, we are pleased to point out that one of the hottest demands from the field, micro-LED wall-plug-efficiency at ‘AR’ pitch, will be at best-in-class levels. In parallel, we are working on our first RGB modules and exploring approaches for polychromatic RGB integration.”
MICLEDI has also pioneered the development of a modeling platform for micro-lens customization. The platform will be available for AR customers to evaluate the new technology in simulations and to design their own micro-lenses for specific waveguide configurations. Those can then be prototyped using MICLEDI’s manufacturing capabilities.
“Integration of the micro-lenses in a tightly pitched micro-LED device is a highlight of MICLEDI’s unique manufacturing capabilities using 300mm wafer fab equipment,” says co-founder & chief technology officer Dr Soeren Steudel. “High-quality beam shaping requires extreme precision and nanometer-scale overlay accuracy that can only be met in a 300mm wafer fab,” he adds.
MICLEDI is exhibiting at table #551 at the SPIE Optics + Photonics conference in San Diego, CA, USA (21-25 August).
MICLEDI presenting 300mm micro-LED array technology for AR glasses at Display Week
MICLEDI collaborating with GlobalFoundries on manufacturing micro-LED displays for AR glasses
