As part of its continuing effort to improve both the resolution and optical performance of AMOLED microdisplays,
eMagin has recently developed an SXGA (1280×3×1024) microdisplay under a US Army RDECOM CERDEC NVESD
contract that combines the world's smallest OLED pixel pitch with an ultra-high brightness green OLED emitter. This
development is aimed at next-generation HMD systems with
"see-through" and daylight imaging requirements. The
OLED pixel array is built on a 0.18-micron CMOS backplane and contains over 4 million individually addressable
pixels with a pixel pitch of 2.7 × 8.1 microns, resulting in an active area of 0.52 inches diagonal. Using both spatial and
temporal enhancement, the display can provide over 10-bits of
gray-level control for high dynamic range applications.
The new pixel design also enables the future implementation of a full-color QSXGA (2560 × RGB × 2048) microdisplay
in an active area of only 1.05 inch diagonal. A low-power serialized low-voltage-differential-signaling (LVDS) interface
is integrated into the display for use as a remote video link for tethered systems. The new SXGA backplane has been
combined with the high-brightness green OLED device developed by eMagin under an NVESD contract. This OLED
device has produced an output brightness of more than 8000fL with all pixels on; lifetime measurements are currently
underway and will presented at the meeting. This paper will describe the operational features and first optical and
electrical test results of the new SXGA demonstrator microdisplay.
AMOLED microdisplays continue to show improvement in resolution and optical performance, enhancing their appeal
for a broad range of near-eye applications such as night vision, simulation and training, situational awareness,
augmented reality, medical imaging, and mobile video entertainment and gaming. eMagin's latest development of an
HDTV+ resolution technology integrates an OLED pixel of 3.2 × 9.6 microns in size on a 0.18 micron CMOS backplane
to deliver significant new functionality as well as the capability to implement a 1920×1200 microdisplay in a 0.86"
diagonal area. In addition to the conventional matrix addressing circuitry, the HDTV+ display includes a very lowpower,
low-voltage-differential-signaling (LVDS) serialized interface to minimize cable and connector size as well as
electromagnetic emissions (EMI), an on-chip set of look-up-tables for digital gamma correction, and a novel pulsewidth-
modulation (PWM) scheme that together with the standard analog control provides a total dimming range of
0.05cd/m2 to 2000cd/m2 in the monochrome version. The PWM function also enables an impulse drive mode of
operation that significantly reduces motion artifacts in high speed scene changes. An internal 10-bit DAC ensures that a
full 256 gamma-corrected gray levels are available across the entire dimming range, resulting in a measured dynamic
range exceeding 20-bits. This device has been successfully tested for operation at frame rates ranging from 30Hz up to
85Hz. This paper describes the operational features and detailed optical and electrical test results for the new AMOLED
WUXGA resolution microdisplay.
KEYWORDS: Accelerated life testing, Organic light emitting diodes, Spectroscopy, Temperature metrology, Systems modeling, Video, Prototyping, Calibration, Visual process modeling, Data analysis
The US Army and eMagin Corporation established a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to
characterize the ongoing improvements in the lifetime of OLED displays. This CRADA also called for the evaluation of
OLED performance as the need arises, especially when new products are developed or when a previously untested
parameter needs to be understood. In 2006, eMagin Corporation developed long-life OLED-XL devices for use in their
AMOLED microdisplays for head-worn applications. Through research and development programs from 2007 to 2010
with the US Government, eMagin made additional improvements in OLED life and developed the first SXGA (1280 X
1024 triad pixels) OLED microdisplay. US Army RDECOM CERDEC NVESD conducted life and performance tests
on these displays, publishing results at the 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 SPIE Defense and Security Symposia1,2,3,4. Life
and performance tests have continued through 2010, and this data will be presented along with a recap of previous data.
This should result in a better understanding of the applicability of AMOLEDs in military and commercial head mounted
systems: where good fits are made, and where further development might be desirable.
KEYWORDS: Organic light emitting diodes, Video, Analog electronics, Capacitors, Night vision, Sensors, RGB color model, Head-mounted displays, Transistors, Head
AMOLED microdisplays from eMagin Corporation are finding growing acceptance within the military display market as
a result of their excellent power efficiency, wide operating temperature range, small size and weight, good system
flexibility, and ease of use. The latest designs have also demonstrated improved optical performance including better
uniformity, contrast, MTF, and color gamut. eMagin's largest format display is currently the SXGA design, which
includes features such as a 30-bit wide RGB digital interface, automatic luminance regulation from -45 to +70°C,
variable gamma control, and a dynamic range exceeding 50:000 to 1. This paper will highlight the benefits of eMagin's
latest microdisplay designs and review the roadmap for next generation devices. The ongoing development of reduced
size pixels and larger format displays (up to WUXGA) as well as new OLED device architecture (e.g. high-brightness
yellow) will be discussed. Approaches being explored for improved performance in next generation designs such as lowpower
serial interfaces, high frame rate operation, and new operational modes for reduction of motion artifacts will also
be described. These developments should continue to enhance the appeal of AMOLED microdisplays for a broad
spectrum of near-to-the-eye applications such as night vision, simulation and training, situational awareness, augmented
reality, medical imaging, and mobile video entertainment and gaming.
The US Army and eMagin Corporation established a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to
characterize the ongoing improvements in the lifetime of OLED displays. This CRADA also called for the evaluation of
OLED performance as the need arises, especially when new products are developed or when a previously untested
parameter needs to be understood. In 2006, eMagin Corporation developed long-life OLED-XLTM devices for use in
their AMOLED microdisplays for head-worn applications. Through Research and Development programs from 2007 to
2009 with the US Government, eMagin made additional improvements in OLED life and developed the first SXGA
(1280 × 1024 triad pixels) OLED microdisplay. US Army RDECOM CERDEC NVESD conducted life and
performance tests on these displays, publishing results at the 2007, 2008, and 2009 SPIE Defense and Security
Symposia1,2,3. Life and performance tests have continued through 2009, and this data will be presented along with a
recap of previous data. This should result in a better understanding of the applicability of AMOLEDs in military and
commercial head mounted systems: where good fits are made, and where further development might be desirable.
High resolution OLED-on-silicon microdisplay technology is unique and challenging since it requires very small subpixel
dimensions (~ 2-5 microns). eMagin's OLED microdisplay is based on white top emitter architecture using small
molecule organic materials. The devices are fabricated using high Tg materials. The devices are hermetically sealed with
vacuum deposited thin film layers. LCD-type color filters are patterned using photolithography methods to generate
primary R, G, B colors. Results of recent improvements in the
OLED-on-silicon microdisplay technology, with emphasis
on efficiencies, lifetimes, grey scale and CIE color coordinates for SVGA and SXGA resolution microdisplays is
presented.
KEYWORDS: Organic light emitting diodes, Video, RGB color model, Logic, Data conversion, Analog electronics, Sensors, Temperature metrology, Clocks, Field programmable gate arrays
This paper presents the design and first evaluation of a full-color 1280×3×1024 pixel, active matrix organic light
emitting diode (AMOLED) microdisplay that operates at a low power of 200mW under typical operating conditions of
35fL, and offers a precision 30-bit RGB digital interface in a compact size (0.78-inch diagonal active area). The new
system architecture developed by eMagin for the SXGA microdisplay, based on a separate FPGA driver and AMOLED
display chip, offers several benefits, including better power efficiency, cost-effectiveness, more features for improved
performance, and increased system flexibility.
KEYWORDS: Organic light emitting diodes, Accelerated life testing, Prototyping, Video, Time metrology, Contrast transfer function, Photometry, Military display technology, Chromium, Temperature metrology
The US Army and eMagin Corporation established a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to
characterize the ongoing improvements in the lifetime of OLED displays. This CRADA also called for the evaluation of
OLED performance as the need arises, especially when new products are developed or when a previously untested
parameter needs to be understood. In 2006, eMagin Corporation developed long-life OLED-XL devices for use in their
AMOLED microdisplays for head-worn applications. RDECOM CERDEC NVESD conducted life tests on these
displays, finding over 200% lifetime improvement for the OLED-XL devices over the standard OLED displays,
publishing results at the 2007 and 2008 SPIE Defense and Security Symposia1,2. In 2008, eMagin Corporation made
additional improvements on the lifetime of their displays and developed the first SXGA (1280 × 1024 triad pixels)
OLED microdisplay. A summary of the life and performance tests run at CERDEC NVESD will be presented along
with a recap of previous data. This should result in a better understanding of the applicability of AMOLEDs in military
and commercial head mounted systems: where good fits are made, and where further development might be desirable.
OLED displays have been known to exhibit high levels of performance with regards to contrast, response time,
uniformity, and viewing angle, but a lifetime improvement has been perceived to be essential for broadening the
applications of OLED's in the military and in the commercial market. As a result of this need, the US Army and eMagin
Corporation established a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to improve the lifetime of
OLED displays. In 2006, eMagin Corporation developed long-life
OLED-XL devices for use in their AMOLED
microdisplays for head-worn applications, and RDECOM CERDEC NVESD ran life tests on these displays, finding over
200% lifetime improvement for the XL devices over the standard displays. Early results were published at the 2007
SPIE Defense and Security Symposium. Further life testing of XL and standard devices at ambient conditions and at
high temperatures will be presented this year along with a recap of previous data. This should result in a better
understanding of the applicability of AMOLEDs in military and commercial head mounted systems: where good fits are
made, and where further development might be needed. This is a continuation of the paper "Life test results of OLED-XL
long-life devices for use in active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) displays for head mounted
applications" presented at SPIE DSS in 2007.
eMagin has developed numerous enhancements to organic light emitting diode (OLED) technology, including a unique, up- emitting structure for OLED-on-silicon microdisplay devices. Recently, eMagin has fabricated full color SVGA+ resolution OLED microdisplays on silicon, with over 1.5 million color elements. The display is based on white light emission from OLED followed by LCD-type red, green and blue color filters. The color filters are patterned directly on OLED devices following suitable thin film encapsulation and the drive circuits are built directly on single crystal silicon. The resultant color OLED technology, with hits high efficiency, high brightness, and low power consumption, is ideally suited for near to the eye applications such as wearable PCS, wireless Internet applications and mobile phone, portable DVD viewers, digital cameras and other emerging applications.
We report experimental results on the evaluation of a sealing technique for organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) used for high-resolution color microdisplay applications. Based on production and processing requirements for active matrix OLEDs (AMOLEDs) on silicon, the sealing process must protect the device against moisture and oxygen, not only during operation and storage but also during production. A conformal polymer/metal(oxide)/polymer multi-layer technology was selected for this purpose. AMOLED test structures were produced and tested with and without sealing under ambient conditions as well as in water. The applied sealing process was shown to be compatible with all steps of the OLED-based microdisplay production of eMagin Corporation. Our results confirm that encapsulating AMOLEDs with the described process leads to increased stability, both under operation as well as for storage purposes.
The etch depth of phase shift masks is typically measured by means of profilometry and the expected phase shift is calculated from a knowledge of the refractive index at the lithographic wavelength of interest. In the case of masks utilizing deposited films the index may differ from values for bulk materials and commonly varies to some degree with method of deposition. The interferometer offers a method for the measurement of phase directly and, hence, for a means to obtain refractive index values for phase shift films on quartz blank substrates. Arrangements are described for direct phase measurements using visible, 632.8 nm, and UV, 257 nm, radiation.
KEYWORDS: Photomasks, Atomic force microscopy, Phase shifts, Quartz, Chemical species, Optical lithography, Integrated circuits, Metrology, Inspection, Process control
In recent years, optical phase shifting masks (PSM) have become of interest for the enhancement of submicron lithographic techniques. Various schemes of PSMs have been published in the literature demonstrating improvement in performance of optical lithography techniques for 0.5 micrometers features and below. Some of these schemes require features on the PSMs that are micron or submicron in size. Monitoring the depth as well as the lateral dimensions of these small features is important in order to meet the dimensional tolerances. In this paper we report the application of an atomic force microscope (AFM) to obtain both quantitative as well as qualitative information about the etched features in a PSM.
We have made direct phase shift measurements in phase shift masks using a transmission optical interferometer based upon a modification of an optical, laser scanning reflection profilometer. Measurements were carried out at 632.8 nm in transparent samples that consisted of thin films of SiO2 on fused silica substrates and thin films of SiO2 and Al2O3 on fused silica substrates. Measurements were also performed on attenuated phase shift mask blanks. The phase values measured at 632.8 nm were corrected for refractive index and wavelength for 248 nm.
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