On May 21, the Shanghai International Display Technology Exhibition (DIC EXPO) announced part of the finalists for the 2024 International Display Technology Innovation Awards, with five HKC products competing. Among them, two high-end MNT applications, the 24.5-inch QHD 540Hz and 27-inch UHD DRD 165Hz, are both built with metal oxide technology, demonstrating the rapid growth of HKC in the field of metal oxide technology.
In 2021, to deepen the application of large-size displays while promoting the development of small- and medium-size products and enhancing product specifications such as PPI, refresh rate, and narrow bezels, HKC began researching and developing metal oxide technology based on its mature and stable a-Si production line. Significant achievements were made in 2023, with NB and MNT businesses successfully passing terminal brand certification. In 2024, official supply will begin, along with the development of automotive and tablet applications.
During the research and development process, HKC fully utilized the high mobility and low leakage current characteristics of metal oxide to focus on deploying three types of mid- to high-end applications.
First, the high mobility enables HKC to launch high-specification products with high refresh rate, high resolution, high transmittance, and narrow bezels, such as the 24.5-inch QHD 540Hz gaming monitor, which satisfies the pursuit of an ultimate immersive experience for gaming enthusiasts.
Second, the high mobility also allows HKC to develop mainstream specification products with significant cost advantages, such as the 27-inch UHD DRD 60Hz office monitor. It guarantees 4K ultra-high-definition picture quality while significantly reducing the cost of driver ICs through DRD design, enhancing product competitiveness.
Finally, the low leakage current characteristic enables HKC to develop ultra-low refresh rate and low-power consumption products, such as the 14.5-inch 2.5K 10Hz laptop display. Its power consumption can be reduced by more than 20% compared to a-Si, satisfying users' needs for energy conservation and long-lasting battery life, which also aligns with the global trend of green and low-carbon development.
Currently, HKC has completed the layout of mid- to high-end product applications, achieving a range of product performances from 10Hz low-frequency driving products to 500Hz+ high-frequency driving products, from 2K resolution to 8K ultra-high-resolution displays, and from non-touch displays to in-cell touch screen technology with higher added value. It continues to promote the development and transformation of display technology.
Moreover, through continuous exploration and experimentation, HKC has successfully developed second-generation oxide (HMO, high-mobility oxide), with a mobility more than twice that of the first generation. This technology not only supports de-mux 3 design, significantly reducing IC costs, but also achieves higher transmittance, thereby reducing backlight costs. This enables HKC to potentially narrow or even eliminate the cost difference with LTPS technology in applications such as automotive, mobile phones, and tablets, thereby broadening the application range of its products. Currently, HKC is conducting technical verification for automotive, mobile phone, tablet, and other touch products as well as MLED new display technologies.
In the future, HKC will continue to actively explore and plan more advanced and novel display technologies, completing a more comprehensive technological layout to bring more innovative and quality products to global consumers.
