Display Supply Chain Executive Sees 2018 as ‘Breakthrough Year’ for QDs on Glass

Following the recent Nanosys application to register “QDOG” as a trademark (see 1711080046), Display Supply Chain Consultants President Bob O’Brien speculates the acronym stands for “quantum dot on glass,” and thinks the technology “may be the next best thing in the TV world,” he blogged Monday. “Perhaps it was only a matter of time before someone paired the great need of QDs for encapsulation with the great ability of glass to encapsulate, but now it’s happening,” said O’Brien, a former Corning executive. DSCC’s “understanding” is that panel maker Samsung Display is driving QDOG developments by sourcing glass light guide plates (LGPs) from Corning and Asahi, he said. By “coupling” glass LGPs with QDs, “it’s possible that QDOG represents a major advance on bringing both quantum dots and glass LGPs to a virtuous cycle whereby a profitable premium product gains market share and higher volumes, which allows for the economies of scale that drive lower costs, which drives yet higher adoption, and so on,” he said. “Our checks with TV brands and panel makers indicate that 2018 will be a breakthrough year for QDOG,” with Samsung Display’s business plan to build a million QDOG LGP panels, to be sold to TCL and other brands, he said.