According to the latest DisplaySearch Quarterly LED Backlight Report, LED-backlight shipments of LCDs will pass those of CCFL backlights "in all large-area TFT LCD panels, and achieve 80% penetration in Q4'12."

Key factors responsible for the high demand of the LED-backlighting method include its slim design, lower power consumption; and the fact that it delivers the aforementioned two traits along with higher image quality.

Some of the materials exclusively used used in LED-backlight LCD fabrication (as opposed to their CCFL counterparts) include optical polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is used in light guide plates, white polyester (PET) for reflector film, and sapphire for LED wafer substrates.

DisplaySearch notes that LCD manufacturers have been suffering from key component shortages related to LED backlights in Q1'10, in all three of the substances referred to above.

"Many LCD makers didn't recognize the limited capacities of key material suppliers before fixing their LED TV panel shipment targets, says Kevin Kwak, DisplaySearch Research Director. "In particular, PMMA and PET are in significant shortage. PMMA and PET suppliers are slowly expanding capacity since they need time to add new plants and face financial limitations."

According to DisplaySearch, materials suppliers are improving the design of LED BLU by minimizing the number of chips. The research firm also points to joint investments between LCD makers and PMMA suppliers as solution for securing light guide plate material.

"To expand the LED-backlit LCD TV business successfully, LCD TV panel or TV set makers need to consider product competitiveness, including effective procurement, design innovation, cell business models, and sales strategies because many consumers feel the price of LED-backlit LCD TV sets are still too high," notes Kwak.

The DisplaySearch Quarterly LED Backlight Report covers backlight unit capacity, backlight unit value chain, backlight unit cost structure by size, backlight unit shipment forecast by technology, CCFL demand forecast, and LED technology introduction with its application in backlight unit. The report also provides an analysis of large-area LED backlight unit cost structures and cost trends for notebooks, monitors and LCD TVs and an extensive overview of LED backlight TVs.

For more information, visit: www.displaysearch.com

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