Core Insights - Smartkem has completed its first sale of TRUFLEX® semiconductor materials to Shanghai Chip Foundation, marking a significant milestone in their partnership aimed at developing microLED-based backlight technology for LCDs [1][2][3] Company Overview - Smartkem is focused on revolutionizing the electronics industry with its organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) and proprietary TRUFLEX® materials, which are designed for various display technologies, including next-generation microLED displays [3][4] - The company has a strong intellectual property portfolio with 138 granted patents across 18 families and 40 trade secrets [4] Partnership Details - The collaboration with Chip Foundation involves integrating Smartkem's organic dielectric single layer material (RDL) with Chip Foundation's microLED devices, aiming to enhance brightness and current efficiency while reducing power losses [2][3] - Additional sales of RDL materials to Chip Foundation are anticipated to continue throughout 2025, indicating a long-term partnership [2] Chip Foundation Overview - Chip Foundation specializes in semiconductor technology, particularly in developing advanced substrates for Gallium Nitride (GaN) growth, which are crucial for microLED applications [5][6] - The company has innovated a new type of composite patterned sapphire substrate (DPSS) that significantly reduces dislocation density, enhancing the performance of microLED chips [5][8] Technological Advancements - Chip Foundation's chemical lift-off technology for GaN substrates offers cost-effective and high-yield production methods compared to traditional laser lift-off processes, improving chip performance [5][6] - The company is also advancing wafer-level packaging technology based on thin-film chips, which maximizes the performance of these chips in backlight applications [7]
Smartkem Completes First Sale of its TRUFLEX® Semiconductor Materials to Chip Foundation under their Co-Development Agreement