Dankook University announced on Jan. 22 that a research team led by Professor Han Kwan-young has developed the world’s first equipment capable of rapidly measuring defects on the surfaces of nano films applied to mobile phones and various display surfaces.
According to Dankook University, the research team’s findings were presented in December last year at one of the top three global information display conferences in Japan, Information Display Workshops (IDW), and the application for the core patent has been completed. The technology is also scheduled to be showcased at the Society for Information Display (SID) in the United States in May, which is the most prestigious display event in the world.
Typically, displays undergo a process where a 20-40 nm thick nano film is applied to their surfaces to make it smooth.
Previously, the identification of defects in nano films involved time-consuming methods using transmission electron microscopes, atomic force microscopes, and scanning electron microscopes, making it difficult to quantitatively measure and often leading to the shipping of defective products.
In particular, foldable and flexible displays, which use optically clear adhesive to bond multiple layers, often experience delamination at the folding points, leading to the disposal of entire sheets.
With support from Powel Corporation, Professor Han Kwan-Young’s research team developed equipment that photographs the surface of the display substrate’s nano film with a high-resolution camera and measures the energy of each surface to determine defects.
This equipment can measure the entire area of an 8-inch display in less than 40 seconds, allowing for rapid determination of defects.
Utilizing this equipment can pre-screen for defects in each nano film, ensuring that only non-defective materials is used, significantly reducing industry costs and improving productivity.
Professor Han stated, “The equipment was developed in response to the rapid evolution of displays and the sophistication of products, which has led to increased losses in development and mass production materials for companies. Research on optical systems for AR and VR, as well as development of inspection technologies and application technologies for micro LED transfer and regeneration, are also underway.”