The main objective of this report is to analyze and forecast the commercial potential of the MicroLED market. In this report, we also provide strategic analysis of the key players in the micro-LED industry which include large global consumer electronics producers, major equipment and materials suppliers, national laboratories and universities and an array of small start-ups.
Coverage
Markets and applications: In this report, we provide coverage of the following primary applications for micro-LED chips:
- AR/VR projectors
- Heads-up displays (HUD)
- Smartwatches
- Smartphones and tablets
- Computer monitors
- <65” TVs
- >65” TVs and video walls
As part of this analysis detailed (volume and value) ten-year forecasts for the MicroLED market with breakout by applications are included, the focus of these forecasts centers on displays for consumer products. We also compare micro-LED technology and associated products performance with the closest competitors in the marketplace—LCD and OLED products.
We briefly review non-display applications of micro-LEDs, i.e., lighting, lithography, LiFi, medical and others, including advantages and challenges in the micro-LED approach for specific applications, and provide rough market estimations.
Manufacturing: A significant portion of the report is dedicated to micro-LED manufacturing—mass transfer and assembly of micro-LED dies on display substrates. We review all technical approaches to develop the solution by dozens of companies and provide guidance on their likely success and expected outcome. We also briefly touch on color conversion schemes and materials, especially quantum dots, and their integration with monolithic micro-LED fabrication scheme.
In addition, there is coverage of substrate materials producers (sapphire or silicon wafers), MOCVD epi-layers deposition equipment companies, micro-LED chip fabricators, mass transfer equipment developers, quantum dot companies, testing equipment suppliers, panel makers and OEMs.
Geographical coverage: This report is international in scope. The forecasts here are worldwide forecasts and we have not been geographically selective in the firms that we have covered in this report or interviewed in order to collect information.
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
E.1 Where the Opportunities for micro-LED Displays are being Found
E.1.1 Competitive Advantages of Micro-LED Displays
E.1.2 Opportunities for Displays that need the Extra Performance Provided by micro-LEDs
E.2 Timing for Micro-LED Product Introductions: Next Two to Three Years E.3 Tough Technical and Logistical Problems are Yet to be Solved
E.3.1 Uniformity of Epitaxial Layers Growth and Scaling up Epi-substrate Sizes E.3.2 Efficiency Drop with Shrinking LED Size
E.3.3 Micro-LED Fabrication Schemes
E.3.4 Mass Transfer Yield and Throughput is a Key for Success
E.4 Who are the Main Players in micro-LED Displays?
E.5 Ten-year Forecasts of micro-LED Markets
E.5.1 Micro-LED Market Forecast 2028-2027
E.5.2 Market Breakout by Applications/Products
Chapter One: Introduction
1.1 Background to the Report
1.1.1 Micro-LEDs now a Serious Contender as a Display Technology
1.1.2 Technology Challenges Associated with micro-LEDs
1.1.3 Process Chain Issues with Micro-LEDs
1.1.4 Emerging Supply Structure for Micro-LEDs
1.1.5 The Coming Rollout for micro-LEDs
1.2 Goals and Scope of this Report
1.2.1 Coverage 1.3 Methodology of this Report
1.3.1 Sources of Information
1.3.2 Forecasting Methodology
1.4 Plan of this Report
Chapter Two: Technologies and Manufacturing Strategies
2.1 Micro-LED vs. Incumbent (LCD) and Emerging (OLED) Technologies
2.2 Micro-LED fabrication methods, problems and challenge
2.2.1 micro-LED vs mini-LED vs regular LED lighting
2.2.2 Micro-LED Epitaxial Substrate
2.2.3 Monolithic fabrication
2.2.4 Monolithic Hybridization Fabrication
2.2.5 3D Integration (Mass Transfer)
2.3 Micro-LED Supply Value Chain
2.3.1 Value Chain Configurations for Monolithic, Hybrid and 3D Integrated Displays
2.3.2 Epi-substrates
2.3.3 Epi-wafers
2.3.4 MOCVD Equipment
2.3.5 Mass Transfer Equipment
2.3.6 Cost Analysis
2.4 Key Points from this Chapter
Chapter Three: Ten-year Forecasts of Micro-LED Markets
3.1 Micro-LED Applications and Commercialization Roadmap
3.2 LCD Backlighting with micro-LED Arrays (BLU)
3.2.1 Technology and Market Potential
3.2.2 Ten-year Forecast for LCD BLU with micro-LEDs
3.3 Ultra-large format: Video Walls, Digital Signage
3.3.1 Technology and Market Potential
3.3.2 Ten-year Forecast
3.3.2.1 Ten-year Forecast For Micro-LED Video Walls In Home Theaters
3.3.2.2 Ten-year Forecast For Micro-LED Video Walls In Digital Cinemas
3.3.2.3 Ten-year Forecast for Micro-LED Video Walls In Digital Signage And Advertising
3.4 Large Format: TVs and Monitors
3.4.1 Technology and Market Potential
3.4.2 Ten-year Forecast
3.5 Medium Format: Smartphones, Tablets
3.5.1 Technology and Market Potential
3.5.2 Ten-year Forecast for micro-LED Smartphones
3.6 Small Format: Smartwatches
3.6.1 Technology and Market Potential
3.6.2 Ten-year Forecast
3.7 Automotive: HUD projectors
3.7.1 Technology and Market Potential
3.7.2 Ten-year Forecast for Micro-LED Automotive HUD Market
3.8 Ultra-small-format: Near-eye Microdisplays (AR/VR)
3.8.1 Technology and Market Potential
3.8.2 Ten-year Forecast
3.9 Lighting
3.9.1 Technology and Market Potential
3.9.2 Ten-year Forecast for micro-LED Lighting
3.10 Lithography and 3D printing
3.10.1 Technology and Market Potential
3.10.2 Ten-year Forecasts
3.10.2.1 Ten-year Forecast for micro-LED Lithography Systems
3.10.2.2 Ten-year Forecast for micro-LED 3D Printers
3.11 LiFi 3.11.1 Technology and Market Potential
3.11.2 Ten-year Forecast for micro-LED LiFi
3.12 Analysis of micro-LED Wafers Market Production
3.13 Analysis of Overall micro-LED Market Distribution
3.13.1 By Year from 2018 through 2027
3.13.2 By Application from 2018 until 2027
3.14 Analysis of micro-LED Markets By Key Countries And Regions
3.14.1 Taiwan
3.14.2 China
3.14.3 Japan
3.14.4 Korea
3.14.5 North America
3.14.6 Western Europe
3.15 Key Points from this Chapter
Chapter Four: Profiles of Key Players
4.1 AIXTRON
4.1.1 Manufacturing Solutions
4.1.2 Customers
4.2 Aledia
4.2.1 Manufacturing Solutions
4.3 ALLOS Semiconductors
4.4 Apple
4.5 AUO
4.6 CEA-LETI
4.7 JBD
4.8 LG Display
4.9 Lumens
4.10 Lumiode
4.11 Nanosys
4.12 PlayNitride
4.13 Plessey Semiconductors
4.14 QMAT
4.15 Rohinni
4.16 Samsung
4.17 Sony
4.18 Uniqarta
4.19 VueReal
4.20 Veeco Instruments
4.21 X-Celeprint Acronyms and Abbreviations Used In this Report About the Author
List of Exhibits Exhibit
E-1: micro-LED Market Projection from 2018-2027 Exhibit
E-2: micro-LED Market Segmentation in 2019
Exhibit E-3: micro-LED Market Segmentation in 2025
Exhibit E-4: micro-LED Market Segmentation per Application (2018-2027)
Exhibit E-5: micro-LED Production by Main Countries/Regions Exhibit
E-6: micro-LED Wafers Demand Forecast Exhibit
E-7: micro-LED Wafers Demand per Application, 2018-2027
Exhibit 2-1: Simplified Schematics of Three Major Technologies Discussed in this Report
Exhibit 2-2: Comparison of Three Competing Display Technologies (LCD, OLED, micro-LED)
Exhibit 2-3: Dimensions Comparison between LEDs, mini-LEDs and micro-LEDs
Exhibit 2-4: Comparison between GaN on Sapphire and on Si Substrates
Exhibit 2-5: micro-LED Fabrication Schemes and Target Applications
Exhibit 2-6: Mass Transfer of micro-LED dies and IC Chips onto Display Substrate
Exhibit 2-7: A Comparison between Major Mass Transfer Technologies
Exhibit 2-8: The micro-LED Display Supply Chain
Exhibit 3-1: Applications of micro-LED Technology
Exhibit 3-2: Ten-year forecast for LCD BLU with micro-LEDs
Exhibit 3-3: Ten-year Forecast for micro-LED Display Home Theater
Exhibit 3-4: Ten-year Forecast for micro-LED Display Cinemas
Exhibit 3-5: Ten-year Forecast for micro-LED Display Digital Signage
Exhibit 3-6: Ten-year Forecast for micro-LED TVs
Exhibit 3-7: Ten-year Forecast For Micro-LED Smartphones and Tablets
Exhibit 3-8: Ten-year Forecast for micro-LED Smartwatches
Exhibit 3-9: Ten-Year Forecast for Micro-LED Display Automotive HUD Projectors
Exhibit 3-10: Brightness comparisons (AR/VR projector technologies vs requirements)
Exhibit 3-11: Ten-year Forecast for micro-LED Display AR/VR Devices
Exhibit 3-12: Ten-year Forecast for micro-LED Lighting
Exhibit 3-13: Ten-year Forecast for micro-LED Lithography Systems
Exhibit 3-14: Ten-year Forecast for Low-end micro-LED 3D Printers
Exhibit 3-15: Ten-year Forecast for micro-LED LiFi
Exhibit 3-16: micro-LED wafers demand forecast
Exhibit 3-17: micro-LED wafers demand per application, 2028-2027
Exhibit 3-18: Micro-LED Market Projection (2018-2027)
Exhibit 3-19: Micro-LED Market Segmentation 2019
Exhibit 3-20: Micro-LED Market Segmentation 2025
Exhibit 3-21: Micro-LED Production by Main Countries/Regions (2018)
Exhibit 3-22: Projections for micro-LED Production in Taiwan for 2018-2027
Exhibit 3-23: Projections for micro-LED production in China for 2018-2027
Exhibit 3-24: Projections for micro-LED production in Japan for 2018-2027
Exhibit 3-25: Projections for micro-LED production in Korea for 2018-2027
Exhibit 3-26: Projections for micro-LED production in North America for 2018-2027
Exhibit 3-27: Projections for micro-LED production in Western Europe for 2018-2027
Companies Mentioned
- Aledia
- Apple
- AUO
- CEA-LETI
- JBD
- LG Display
- Lumens
- AIXTRON
- Lumiode
- Nanosys
- PlayNitride
- Plessey Semiconductors
- QMAT
- Rohinni
- Samsung
- Sony
- Uniqarta
- Veeco Instruments
- VueReal
- X-Celeprint
