OLED microdisplays are frequently used in portable applications such as helmets and smart glasses as well as in optical devices. The new microdisplay package simplifies the integration of Fraunhofer IPMS’s 2K microdisplays into such systems, as it combines the microdisplay with the complete electronics required for its control. An integrated

20 mm x 20 mm system-on-module (SoM) implements the MIPI DSI-2 interface via D-PHY, which is widely used in mobile processors and transmits image data and control commands serially at high speeds. The microdisplay package supports up to four data lanes with a data rate of up to 2.5 Gbit/s per lane.

At the same time, the SoM generates all required display voltages, so that a single external 5 V power supply is sufficient. This considerably reduces the effort required by system integrators.

“In wearables such as smart glasses or helmets with integrated displays, every millimeter of space counts. That is why the new microdisplay package was designed to accommodate the additional electronics without increasing the previous package dimensions. It combines this compact form factor with simpler electrical connection: system designers only need to provide a single 5 V supply, and the integrated control via MIPI DSI-2 eliminates the need for external interface conversion,” explains Florian Schuster, project manager at Fraunhofer IPMS.

With the MIPI DSI-2 interface, Fraunhofer IPMS is expanding its previously available control options LVDS and DPI (Display Pixel Interface) for the 2K microdisplay.

A central challenge in developing the new microdisplay package was integrating the additional electronics without increasing the previous package dimensions. The integrated SoM therefore required a particularly compact circuit board with a very high component integration density. Fraunhofer IPMS is now working on transferring the new package concept to other microdisplays in its display family.

The functionality of the new package was demonstrated in tests with a Raspberry Pi 5. Building on this, Fraunhofer IPMS offers evaluation kits with the new 2K OLED microdisplay package. They contain the complete microdisplay package, a Raspberry Pi for control with a suitable preinstalled driver, and all cables required for operation.