Cambridge Display Technology Announces Finalising Licence Agreement with MED.
Cambridge Display Technology today announced at the Edinburgh Microdisplay Workshop, that it is finalising a licence agreement with Edinburgh based start-up company, MicroEmissive Displays, to enable MED to manufacture and sell miniature, high resolution light emitting polymer displays.
MicroEmissive Displays (MED) will initially develop OEM LEP products for viewfinder applications in video camcorders, digital cameras, toys and gaming products. MED is currently installing an LEP pilot line at its corporate headquarters in the newly built ScottishMicroelectronics Centre and expects to launch full commercial LEP microdisplay products during 2002.
Microdisplays are tiny high resolution displays built directly on silicon chips, which are very lightweight, and low power. By using magnifying optics they create an image that is larger than the physical size of the product. Microdisplays are expected to have application in 3G mobile phones, headsets for wearable computing, and a wide range of other intent enabled consumer products.
According to market data from DisplaySearch, organic light emitting diode, OLED, display revenue worldwide is expected to grow from $24 million in 2000 to $3.3 billion by 2005. The OLED display market includes mobile phones, personal digital assistants, digital cameras, camcorders and, eventually, personal computer and consumer products.
David Fyfe, CEO of CDT, said, “We are very pleased to be working with MED, and believe very strongly that it has the right credentials and experience to develop LEP microdisplays. The company has made great strides in developing the manufacturing process surrounding LEP displays on CMOS silicon wafers. Its work shows clearly that LEP display technology is the most compatible with low power CMOS electronics, and its products will have a significant impact in the emerging microdisplay marketplace. CDT is committed to giving full support to all licensees to aid the commercialisation of LEP technology.”
Peter Denyer, Executive Chairman of MED, said, “LEP has clear advantages over competing microdisplay technologies. The key requirement for the consumer applications that we are targeting is low power consumption and this is where LEPs are unrivalled. Both peripheral electronics and manufacture are less complicated for LEP microdisplays. I believe that MED will quickly establish itself as a significant microdisplay provider and the leading brand in this field.”
About CDT
Cambridge Display Technology, CDT, is a privately held company that is leading the research, development and commercialization of polymer technology for flat panel displays and lighting. CDT’s light emitting polymer, LEP, technology is targeted for use in a wide range of electronic display products currently used for information management, communications and entertainment. Features include reduced power consumption, size, thickness and weight, very wide viewing angle, superior video imaging performance and the potential to create displays on plastic substrates
CDT is promoting LEP technology development and speeding its commercialization through a global business strategy including co-developments with leading companies in a wide range of display and related technology areas. Founded in 1994, the company is headquartered in Cambridge, UK. More information about CDT is available on the World Wide Web at www.cdtltd.co.uk.
About MicroEmissive Displays
MicroEmissive Displays was co-founded in 1999 by, Jeff Wright, and Ian Underwood as a spin-out from Edinburgh and Napier Universities. The company aims to become the leading provider of microdisplays for portable consumer electronic products. MED, is chaired by Peter Denyer, the founder and former CEO of Vision Group, the CMOS image sensor company, which floated in 1995 and was acquired in 1998. 3i, Europe’s leading venture capital company invested £1.5 million in MED in September 2000. MED is currently completing a further round of venture capital finance. More information available on the internet: www.microemissive.com.
Email to: enquiries@microemissive.com
