LEDs to dominate TFT LCD backlights by 2011

Light-emitting diodes will become the dominant large-area TFT LCD backlight unit light source by 2011 with a 56% share, according to DisplaySearch's Quarterly LED & CCFL Backlight Report.

Traditional backlights using fluorescent tubes (CCFL and EEFL) for notebook PC, monitor and TV displays will drop to 44% of the market in 2011.

The report forecasts that LED penetration will skyrocket to 78% in 2015.

With the transition to LEDs already taking place in the notebook PC segment, the forecast is that LED penetration in large-area TFT LCD will reach 27.8% in 2009.

As a result of the LCD TV supply chain’s efforts to promote LED backlit TVs and the introduction of new LCD monitors with LED backlights, LED penetration in large-area TFT LCD is forecast to reach 44% in 2010.

Traditional CCFL and EEFL backlights are forecast to fall from 72% in 2009 to 55% in 2011.

Yoshio Tamura, senior vice president of DisplaySearch and leader of the materials and cost research team, said that, while there are still some technical and cost premium concerns about LED backlights, this is the first time the LCD TV supply chain (including backlight, display and consumer products) has joined forces to aggressively promote the benefits of LED backlight products.

“We are seeing a tremendous LED backlight structure improvement, with cost reduction and supply chain revolution efforts and this will only accelerate over the next five years. LED backlights will continue to drive momentum for continued growth in the TFT LCD industry.

"As LED backlights gain share in TFT LCD, pressure will be added on emerging display technologies such as PDP and OLED,” Tamura concluded.