The Drive IC is the most expensive component of the liquid crystal module. The high-speed development of liquid crystal industry also promotes liquid crystal drive IC industry. In contrast with other analog IC, drive IC has particular features, such as huge shipments, extremely high technical requirements, close relationships with panel manufacturers and unique business patterns. Therefore, most drive IC manufacturers are professional IC manufacturers and are rarely involved in other fields.
The field of large-sized LCD drive IC is quite difficult to enter. Besides the high technical requirements, large sized drive IC manufacturers must obtain the cooperation of large size panel manufacturers and top wafer OEM. There are only two panel production lines in China mainland, and the purchasing right of drive IC is controlled has to be obtained abroad. Magnachi, the associated company of Hydis, is one of top five global large-sized drive IC manufacturers. NEC, the associated company of Shanghai SVA-NEC, is the third largest global large-sized drive IC manufacturer.
The field of medium and small sized LCD drive IC is comparably easier to enter considering factors such as a fewer connections between LCD Panel manufacturers, a large number of medium and small LCD module manufacturers in China mainland with a self-purchase right. However, the high technical requirements for medium and small LCD drive IC can not be ignored.
1. High technical requirements
Like large sized TFT-LCD drive IC, the medium and small sized TFT-LCD drives IC also need high pressure techniques. Source drive and gate drive separately needs 6V and 20V-40V. And medium and small sized TFT-LCD drives IC need to be as concentrated as possible, while large sized TFT-LCD only needs 0.35 micron.
Thanks to its rich experience, UMC is able to provide high pressure technique of 0.25 micron and 0.18 micron aiming at STN and TFT drive IC. TSMC has also declared that it had begun mass production with 0.18 micron technique, with a low power consumption of 40V. But TSMC and HJTC in China mainland are not able to do it yet.
2. Different voltage and technical requirements for various segments
Voltage and Technical requirements for various segments of Drive IC
3. The necessity of overall technology for manufacturers
Manufacturers must be accomplished in analog circuit, power management, MCU, digital clock circuit, image processing, color management.
TFT-LCD drive IC for mobile phones has the highest concentration degree as well as the highest technical requirements. Source drive IC and gate drive IC of large sized TFT-LCD drive IC are separate. Sometimes, the control part of digital clock control, power supply and cache memory are also separate. But the development trend of TFT-LCD drive IC for mobile phone is totally integrated, meaning that not only initiative drive IC, gate drive IC, clock control, power supply but also the cache memory should be integrated in one single chip. Only a few manufacturers are able to do so : NEC, TOMATO, and LEADIS etc, and especially Renesas, which is the largest medium and small sized TFT-LCD drive IC manufacturer in the world. While all Taiwan manufacturers produce source drives and gate drives separately.
The OLED drive IC also has some specific technical requirements. OLED is the current-drive display equipment. Presently, 95% of OLED is passive OLED. Due to the different electrical features for various picture elements, it requires different electric current supplied by Drive IC in order to realize the same lightness, therefore, the electric current lightness control system has to be added. Meanwhile, as a kind of equipment with high power consumption, OLED needs efficient power as well as high pressure, therefore, DC/DC is always internally integrated, but causes the problem of EMI disturbance.
Medium and small sized LCD drive IC manufacturers all have their own technical background or obtain technologies by purchase. The founder of LEADIS was once the manager of Samsung drive IC department. Solomon Systech was once LCD department of Motorola, and MANANCHIP entered this field after had purchased ISRON.
There is a long-term development for companies once the technical barrier has been crossed. Solomon Systech is a good example. Currently, it is the largest IC design corporation in China (except Taiwan). In 2005, the sales of Solomon Systech exceeded USD $400 million with a profit of USD $76 million. Its market share of color STN-LCD drive IC and OLED drive IC ranked first in the world. Especially in the field of OLED, its market share exceeds 60% with a gross profit margin maintains at 20%.
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