Apple is evaluating how to better manufacture high-mobility oxide (HMO) backplanes for future OLED panels, according to Korean publication The Elec. The technology is already used in the new touchscreen MacBook Pro, according to display analyst Ross Young, and Apple could be seeking to increase production for adoption in other products. Both Samsung Display and LG Display are said to be developing the HMO thin-film transistor technology for OLED panels.
It is reportedly being considered by Apple as a full-blown successor to low-temperature polycrystalline oxide, or LTPO – the TFT backplane technology currently used in iPhone models and the OLED iPad Pro. HMO is designed to improve on conventional oxide TFT displays by increasing electron mobility, which is important for driving high-resolution OLED panels while keeping power consumption low. Existing oxide TFTs have electron mobility of around 10cm²/Vs, but HMO aims to raise this to the 30–50cm²/Vs range.
Both Samsung and LG are reportedly using a "sputtering" process that could make the technology easier to integrate into existing production lines.
Source: MacRumors · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing