Financial - Page 7

High-precision 3D sensing developer CyberOptics Corporation reported its financial results for Q4 2020 - revenues were $16.9 million, pretty much unchanged from Q4 2019, while net income was $1.5 million. For the full-year 2020, revenues were $70.1 million and the net income was $5.7 million.

CyberOptics reported $600,000 in sales of SQ3000 Multi-Function systems for MicroLED inspection in the quarter, and $4.6 million in full-year sales. The company anticipates more orders for MicroLED systems throughout 2021 and believes that microLED inspection and metrology applications present significant long-term growth opportunities.

Singapore-based electronics assembly solutions provider Kulicke & Soffa announced that it has acquired Uniqarta, a US-based developer of MicroLED placement technology.

Uniqarta developed a unique LED die transfer technology that uses ultra-fast lasers to enable contactless LED de-bonding and placement solution. Uniqarta's technology is branded as Laser-Enabled Advanced Placement, or LEAP).

Seoul Viosys says that the company expects to receive its first microLED revenues in Q2 2021. The company, together with Seoul Semiconductors, developed a new MicroLED technology, called Micro Clean LED that basically packages three separate LEDs (red, green and blue) into a single "one-single MicroLED pixel".

The idea is that these packaged colored pixels will be easier to transfer to the target substrate compared to the transfer of three different LEDs. The package itself does not contain any driver ICs.

Global digital signage solution provider STRATACACHE is embarking on a project to construct a microLED display production line in Eugene, Oregon. The company aims to start production in this fab at around 2022-2023, with plans to adopt these microLED displays in its own solutions.

The new factory (E4) will be a complete microLED production line, from epiwafer (on 300 mm silicon wafers), through transfer process and to final module assembly. The company plans to produce a wide range of displays, from tablet-sized panels to large-area displays. Some of these displays will be flexible and transparent as the company sees a market demand for such technologies. The yearly capacity of the E4 is expected to start at a 1 million square meters per year.

Laser equipment maker Coherent says that it saw a "significant increase" in the level of investment and bookings related to MicroLED displays. These tools are going to be used for process development, as a precursor to mass production.

Coherent reveals that its MicroLED customer base includes almost all current OLED and LCD manufacturers and many well-known MicroLED specific startups and display industry integrators. Coherent is offering multiple UV solutions for four separate MicroLED processes - CLA for high performance low power consumption back planes, laser lift-off for customers using sapphire carrier, laser transfer and laser repair.

Last month France-based 3D GaN LED developer Aledia announced that it plans to establish a 140 million euros LED production fab in Champagnier, near Grenoble in France. Today the company announced that it closed €80 million in funding, out of the planned €120 million Series D investment round.

The lead investor in this round is the Investment Fund Société de Projet Industriel (SPI), a fund managed by Bpifrance. SPI is joined by the majority of the existing strategic investors, including Intel Capital.

Last month we reported that Taiwan-based microLED developer PlayNitride is planning to raise $50 million to establish its second microLED production line. According to Digitimes, the company secured the first part of the $50 million financing round, and is starting to construct the second production line.

PlayNitride hopes to start volume production in the new line by Q2 or Q3 2021. This new line will expand the company's microLED production capacity by 2 to 3 fold. Digitimes also updates that by the end of 2021, the company plans for an IPO at the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

Digitimes reports that Touch screen IC designer Elan Microelectronics has formed a strategic alliance with LED driver IC developer Macroblock, to develop solutions for micro-LED and mini-LED displays.

As part of the alliance, Elan acquired a 7.87% stake in Macroblock. Elan's president says that the new alliance will focus on driver and touch controller ICs for microLED displays in wearable products, and miniLED drivers and TDDI ICs.

In July 2019 Taiwan-based microLED developer PlayNitride raised $50 million to start trial production of microLED displays. According to a new report from Taiwan, the company plans to raise an additional $50 million by the end of September 2020 to funds it second microLED production line.

PlayNitride started volume production at its first production line in 2019, for small wearable displays, and the first displays are now being "validated" by customers. Shipments are likely to begin next year.

High-precision 3D sensing developer CyberOptics Corporation announced its financial results for Q2 2020, with $16 million in sales and a net profit of $1.6 million. The company says it is enjoying a "first-mover status" in the microLED inspection and metrology market.

CyberOptics says that at the end of the quarter it received a $2.5 million order for SQ3000 Multi-Function systems for micro LED applications, and additional micro LED-related orders are anticipated during the second half of 2020.