Agreement includes joint development with CDT and Opsys UK to develop technology for large-size full color OLED displays
Tokyo, Japan - Toppan Printing Co. Ltd. (Toppan Printing) today announced that it has acquired an equity position in Cambridge Display Technology (CDT), which is the pioneer in the development of light emitting polymer (LEP) organic light emitting diode (OLED) technology.

The investment stems from CDT’s acquisition of the intellectual property rights to Opsys Limited’s dendrimer technology and management control of all dendrimer development activities at Opsys’ Oxford UK facilities. The details of the investment include transfer of Toppan’s equity investment from Opsys Limited to CDT and placement of additional investment in CDT.

A joint development agreement (JDA) between Toppan and Opsys Limited, begun in July 2002, will also be transferred to CDT/Opsys UK to develop full color OLED display technology using LEP and dendrimer, which has been the focus of much attention as a new OLED material.  In the joint development project, LEP and dendrimer OLED materials will be applied with wet coating processes, which allows patterning with high resolution that meets monitor specifications to achieve large screen, full color OLED displays with high quality and low cost. The companies will strengthen their partnership in development of OLED displays using LEP/dendrimer technology.

Background

• OLED is a light emitting organic technology that is very well suited for fast moving images since it has a rapid response time that is not affected by temperature. Having a simple device structure, it also allows the realization of ultra thin displays. Therefore, it is drawing strong interest for next generation TVs and monitors.
• The LEP OLED developed by CDT can be applied with wet coating processes, such as ink jet printing. This has created interest by a number of companies to adopt it for display development.
• To achieve full color OLED displays, the following issues are still to be addressed: (1) Extend the lifetime of the device, and (2) Develop a high-yield patterning method for OLED active layers.
• Opsys has been developing a new class of OLED materials using a novel approach known as dendrimer. At the SID 2002 conference held in May in Boston, USA, Opsys presented a technical paper on the highest luminous efficiency device produced to date using wet coating processes. Since dendrimer OLED material has excellent applicability in wet processes and can achieve high luminous efficacy, it is attracting strong industry attention. CDT acquired IP ownership and management control of Opsys’ dendrimer technology in October, 2002.
• Toppan Printing has high technology in the application of color materials and patterning appropriate for large screens based on its core technology in printing and prepress tools and processes.

 Target

• Through the complementary partnership of CDT’s LEP OLED and process technology, dendrimer OLED technology, and Toppan Printing’s patterning technology, the JDA will develop light emitting materials and patterning methods that can be used as a platform to achieve full color OLED displays. 
• The ultimate goal is to put full color OLED displays into practical use by coating and patterning the OLED active layers onto active matrix substrates manufactured by substrate suppliers and display manufacturers.

CTO of Toppan Printing and the managing director, Mr.Hideaki Kawai said “The manufacturing process of polymer/dendrimer OLED has a high affinity for printing and prepress technology as well as the high-definition patterning technology used for the liquid crystal display’s color filters that Toppan has cultivated. The OLED display market is expected to grow to 230 billion Japanese Yen in 2005 and 400 billion Yen by 2007. Thus, we will be focusing on this new business pursuit at our Electronics Division.

Providing the technology and products achieved through this co-development project to our customers, including module makers or display panel makers, we would like to contribute to the immediate practical application of displays with high quality and low cost, as well as the realization of OLED monitors/TVs”.

The president and CEO at CDT, Dr. David Fyfe said, “CDT is extremely pleased to welcome Toppan as a strategic shareholder in CDT. This relationship is set to expand into one assisting Toppan to identify opportunities to service the emerging LEP display industry. CDT has sought continuously to strengthen the LEP supply chain and welcomes the interest of Toppan, with its tremendous reputation and resources, in becoming a major player in this supply chain."

Future Development
Both companies have agreed to team up in the future in an extensive strategic alliance to develop and commercialise OLED displays using CDT’s polymer/dendrimer technology.

About CDT
Cambridge Display Technology (CDT) is a privately held company leading the research, development and commercialization of polymer technology for flat panel displays, lighting, and photovoltaics. CDT’s light emitting polymer (LEP) technology is targeted for use in a wide range of electronic display products used for information management, communications and entertainment. Features include reduced power consumption, size, thickness and weight, very wide viewing angle, superior video imaging performance and the potential to produce displays on plastic substrates. To date, licenses have been granted to Delta Optoelectronics, DuPont Displays, MicroEmissive Displays, OSRAM, Philips, and Seiko-Epson.

CDT is promoting LEP technology development and speeding its commercialization through a global business strategy including co-developments with leading companies in a wide range of display and related technology areas. Founded in 1992, the company is headquartered in Cambridge, U.K. and has a LEP manufacturing development center in Godmanchester, U.K.

In 2002, CDT was awarded Britain’s most prestigious engineering prize, the Royal Academy of Engineering MacRobert Award for its developments in engineering the rapid commercialization of LEP technology and its contribution to establishing the U.K. as a hot bed for innovation in science and engineering on the world stage.

About Opsys Limited
Opsys, headquartered in Oxford, UK, was founded in 1997 to advance cutting edge light emitting technology for flat displays. Opsys’ researchers work closely with academics from both Oxford and St Andrews Universities in order to put innovative technologies on to an industrial development footing. 

In 2001, Opsys established a 42,000 sq. ft. research and prototyping facility based in Fremont, California, for the development of small to medium sized custom displays for the portable and audio electronics industry.

For further information about Opsys, visit www.opsysdisplays.com.

About Toppan Printing Limited
Formed in 1900, TOPPAN Printing Co., Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan is a leader in the global printing industry. With its consolidated subsidiaries, TOPPAN had net sales of 1,296 Billion Yen (9.75 Billion US$) with 31,610 employees in fiscal 2001. TOPPAN applies the expertise it has gained from printing in diverse industry sectors that include securities & cards, commercial printing, publications printing, packaging materials, industrial materials, electronics, business forms and multimedia. For additional information, visit TOPPAN's Web site at www.toppan.co.jp/english/.