Aixtron announced its financial results for Q3 2024, with solid orders and revenue, despite a slight miss on guidance due to a project delay. This project was a large order for a microLED customer, with tools shipments pushed to December instead of October.
Aixtron says that "despite the news from Apple and ams OSRAM" the microLED industry is continuing to work on the technology, and the company received orders from several customers building R&D and pilot production lines. Aixtron expects its microLED revenues in FY2024 to be at high double-digit million euros.
Interestingly, Aixtron says that many of its customers "no longer regard the mass transfer aspect as particularly challenging". The company says it is hearing from various sources that progress is being made on mass transfer and that the pipeline of first products is in preparation. Aixtron believes that the first markets will be smartwatches, AR/VR glasses , TV and automotive applications. This view is shared by many others, including MicroLED-Info's team.
Aixtron further says that while timing and volume predictions are uncertain, various of its customers are looking into starting to ramp up production in 2027 or 2028 (which means that Aixtron expects an increase in orders in 2026 and 2027).
Aixtron announced several microLED system orders in the past. In 2021 Aixtron said that a US Tier-1 LED producer has selected Aixtron's AIX G5+ C equipment for microLED device production. In 2022 Wuhan-based HC Semitek selected Aixtron's Planetary AIX 2800G4-TM (IC2) and AIX G5+ C MOCVD systems to produce microLEDs. In 2023, Aixtron said that ams OSRAM qualified Aixtron's AIX G5+ C and G10-AsP MOCVD systems on 200mm wafers for Micro LED production.
In 2022 Aixtron remarked that it sees the microLED display industry advancing "as expected". Demand for its microLED production tools has "started to kick in". Aixtron said it is "increasingly confident" that we will 'soon' see commercial microLED displays on the market.
