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.
KEYWORDS: Organic light emitting diodes, Video, Capacitors, Analog electronics, 3D displays, Silicon, Prototyping, Temperature metrology, Clocks, Video processing
We present the design and early evaluation results of the world's highest pixel pitch full-color 800x3x600-
pixel, active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) color microdisplay for consumer and
environmentally demanding applications. The design premises were aimed at improving small area
uniformity as well as reducing the pixel size while expanding the functionality found in existing eMagin
Corporations' microdisplay products without incurring any power consumption degradation when compared
to existing OLED microdisplays produced by eMagin. The initial results of the first silicon prototype
presented here demonstrate compliance with all major objectives as well as the validation of a new adaptive
gamma correction technique that can operate automatically over temperature.
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