Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS have developed a full-color OLED microdisplay based on a 28 nm CMOS process, which is highly efficient and features smallest pixels. The display will be presented at Eurodisplay 2026, taking place from September 22 to 24, 2026 in Dublin, Ireland.
8OLED microdisplays are a mature technology for generating high-resolution images for a wide range of optical applications. Recently, particular attention has been given to specially designed integrated driver circuits, known as microdisplay backplanes. These circuits drive pixels with comparatively high voltages and currents, enabling high brightness and a strong contrast ratio, especially in augmented reality applications.
Fraunhofer IPMS is expanding its portfolio with a high-resolution OLED microdisplay for stationary and portable optical systems. The new 2K OLED microdisplay (2,048 x 2,048 pixels, 9.3 µm x 9.3 µm RGB stripe, and 1.07 inches) is the highest-resolution model in the Fraunhofer IPMS microdisplay family. It is based on the institute’s proprietary high-voltage backplane circuit concept. This technology controls multiple stacked OLEDs, resulting in high brightness.
“In addition to its expanded ability to drive pixels across a wide dynamic range, the display can be controlled via an on-chip LVDS interface, reducing the number of required interconnects. This enables high data bandwidth and allows for refresh rates of up to 120 Hz. A novel microdisplay module package has been developed to generate all the necessary voltages for the display chip directly on the module, so that only a single supply voltage is needed. This significantly reduces the effort required to integrate it into existing optical systems,” explains Philipp Wartenberg, Head of the IC & System Design Department at Fraunhofer IPMS.
The researchers welcome the expansion of the microdisplay family and look forward to adapting the new 2K display to new, customer-specific applications. Evaluation kits are available for this purpose.Fraunhofer IPMS is showcasing a new generation of full-color RGBW microdisplays based on a 28 nm CMOS process at Eurodisplay 2026. These advanced displays are specifically designed for near-to-eye visualization and projection, unlocking numerous innovative applications.
The new microdisplays are ideally suited for use in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality glasses. Thanks to their high resolution and efficiency, they are also perfect for portable devices and applications that require superior image quality with a small form factor microdisplay.
The displays are manufactured using a state-of-the-art 28 nm CMOS process. The flexible backplane architecture combines two driving concepts: frame-based (for continuous updates) and memory-based (for static content). Full-color RGBW pixels are created by an integrated White Calculation Block in the backplane, which calculates the white subpixel from standard RGB image data. The extremely small subpixel size of 2.52 × 2.52 µm² enables exceptionally high pixel densities of up to 5040 PPI.
“Compared to conventional microdisplays, the new solution offers significantly lower power consumption, and ultra-high resolution. The flexible driving modes allow both rapid video playback and extremely energy-efficient display of static images, making the displays ideal for battery-powered, lightweight devices with extended runtime,” explains Philipp Wartenberg, Head of Department IC & System Design at Fraunhofer IPMS.
The scientists at Fraunhofer IPMS are developing unique innovative driving concepts for microdisplays - such as those with extremely high pixel density - and can flexibly and customer-specifically adapt display parameters and interfaces. The institute also offers support, from technology consulting and the offer of evaluation kits to pilot production of microdisplays.
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