OLED Tech Gets Cheaper

Canon has developed a material for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels that eliminates the need for rare metals. This breakthrough is driven by the company's desire to reduce reliance on major rare metal producers, particularly in China. Canon intends to bring this technology to the market in the next few years, enabling stable production without geopolitical risks.

The innovative material developed by Canon is based on quantum dots (QD), which are minuscule semiconductor particles measuring 1 nanometer in diameter. These particles emit vibrant colors when exposed to light or an electric current. While other quantum dots are already utilized in high-end OLED televisions, they typically employ indium phosphide, a compound that relies on the rare metal indium, predominantly sourced from China. In contrast, Canon's material incorporates lead, which can be easily obtained from recycled raw materials found in "urban mines." The company plans to establish mass production technology and commercialize the material by the mid-2020s.

Statista, a German research firm, reports that China accounted for 59% (530 tons) of global indium production in 2022. As countries increasingly stockpile natural resources, the risks associated with procuring materials for digital devices and electric vehicles are escalating. Canon employs lead as a substitute for indium in some of its compounds. Although lead traditionally yields less durable results compared to indium, Canon has leveraged its expertise in compounding materials like toner and ink for office equipment to develop a compound that matches indium in durability. Lead is highly reusable, with around 70% of domestically produced lead derived from recycled sources like used car batteries. Furthermore, its cost is significantly lower than that of rare metals.

Consequently, Canon's quantum dots could have a material cost as low as one-hundredth of Samsung's. Unlike conventional OLED televisions that rely on color filters to express the primary colors (red, blue, and green), OLED televisions utilizing Canon's quantum dots in ink form, printed on glass, produce bright and consistent red and green colors even in the presence of light. Power consumption is reduced to approximately one third of conventional screens.

Aside from Samsung, other companies such as the Sony Group, Chinese consumer electronics giant TCL, and Sharp manufacture OLED televisions incorporating quantum dots. A 55-inch television equipped with quantum dots is estimated to cost 470,000 yen ($3,300) domestically, which is 100,000 yen more than a regular OLED and 300,000 yen more than a liquid crystal display television. However, if this new, more affordable material becomes widespread, it is expected to drive down prices for high-end models. Global Information, a research firm, projects that the global market for quantum dots will reach $21.1 billion by 2027, a 4.1-fold increase from 2021. Additionally, Omdia, a British research firm, predicts that the number of televisions featuring quantum dots will grow more than eightfold, from 2018 to 22 million units in 2025, representing approximately 8% of the total television market.