Flat panel display industry trends

Summary form only given. The intent of this paper is to provide some insights into the development of the commercial flat panel display (FPD) industry. As is appropriate for such a global industry, major international trends, as well as some of the special interests of U.S. companies, will be covered. To gain a full appreciation of the evolution of the FPD industry, it is necessary to examine the business from several aspects. Four perspectives will be offered here. For commercial applications, the most important is market pull. One of the major failures of the U.S. display industry has been its inability to take technology from the laboratory to manufacturing at the right time and in an effective manner, with products that meet the market need at acceptable prices. Too often, technologies have emerged from research laboratories before the market opportunity was recognized and managers have been unwilling to continue to fund technology development in the absence of a revenue stream. Technology drive is also critical, both in enabling new markets to be opened and in capturing a share of identified markets. However, even the best technology is irrelevant if manufacturing is too difficult or if the fabrication costs are too high. Finally, the capabilities, economic practices and cultures of the participating nations affect the directions in which an industry evolves. These perspectives will be used to provide an overview of the current state of affairs in the FPD industry and a vision of the expectations for the foreseeable future