AUO Announces Gen 11: What Size Will the Substrate Be?

September 30th, 2008

By David Hsieh, Vice President of the Greater China Market

AUO recently announced that they will start the planning process for a Gen 11 TFT LCD fab in Taiwan soon. Mass production is expected in 2011 or 2012. AUO made this announcement at the opening ceremony of an industrial park in Taiwan, with the President of Taiwan and many government officials in attendance. At this time, AUO has announced their intention to build such a fab, but has not developed a detailed investment plan yet. But the key question that follows from this announcement is: What is the substrate size for Gen 11?

In the TFT LCD industry, there are no guidelines defining the exact substrate size of each generation.  The first panel maker to build (or plan to build) a fab that significantly exceeds the previous generation has the right to name the new generation. Sharp’s Gen 10 size is believed to be 2880 x 3130 mm, which can produce 18-up 40” panels, 12-up 46” panels (for its partner Sony), as well as 6-up 65” panels for itself. Samsung is now planning a 3000 x 3300 mm line, which will enable 70” at 6-up, which might suggest Gen 11 as the name. However, it is similar to Sharp’s Gen 10; both are efficient for production of 52” and above. Therefore, Samsung might call it Gen 10 rather than Gen 11. Samsung may also be considering another size, like 3200 x 3600 mm, which would be a significant leap beyond Gen 10, with the ability to make 8-up 70” panels, enabling Samsung to compete with Sharp’s 65”.

Samsung has a history of competing with Sharp in large size panel production and advanced-generation fabs; for example, Samsung’s Gen 8 can produce 6-up 55” panels, versus Sharp’s Gen 8, which can produce 6-up 52” panels. Samsung is hoping that most of the panel makers follow them, making 55” mainstream instead of 52” in the 50+” segment. The substrate sizes for Gen 10/11 are still in flux. Samsung has not yet finalized their plans, but it is likely that AUO will choose the same substrate size as Samsung. This suggests that AUO’s Gen 11 will be 3200 x 3600 mm.

Table: Economic Cuts of Gen 10 and Gen 11

Proposed Panelization Chart for Gen 10 and 11

Source: DisplaySearch Quarterly TFT LCD Supply-Demand and Capital Spending Report

  1. One Response to “AUO Announces Gen 11: What Size Will the Substrate Be?”

  2. By David Hsieh on Nov 9, 2008 | Reply

    In the recent announcement made by Samsung, the company has officially announced its next fab will be 3000×3320mm, which is very close to Sharp’s Gen10 (2880×3130mm) but Samsung call it as Gen11. The economic cut of the 3000×3320mm is 72″x6up (versus 65″x6up of Sharp), 62″x8up(versus 60″x8up of Sharp)and 46″x15up, 40″x18up.

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