Plessey Semiconductors

Plessey Semiconductors is a leading developer and manufacturer of microLED technology, specializing in advanced display solutions for augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and other consumer electronics applications. The company operates from its manufacturing facility in Plymouth, UK, where it has developed a proprietary gallium nitride (GaN)-on-Silicon platform and monolithic process for producing microLED displays. Plessey's technology enables the creation of compact, high-brightness, and power-efficient displays that are ideal for untethered consumer electronics, particularly in AR/VR applications.

Plessey's microLED displays offer several advantages over conventional LED technologies. Their GaN-on-Silicon approach allows for larger wafer sizes, better wavelength uniformity, and easier substrate removal compared to traditional sapphire substrates. This translates to reduced manufacturing costs, higher yield, and increased throughput. The company's monolithic process is particularly suited for producing ultra-fine pitch pixels (< five μm) microdisplays, which is challenging with conventional pick-and-place methods.

In March 2020, Plessey entered into a significant partnership with Meta (formerly Facebook) to develop semiconductor processing solutions for microLED displays, focusing on AR/VR applications. This collaboration has led to substantial investments in infrastructure and tooling for microLED technology at Plessey's facility. The company has also expanded its workforce, growing by over 50% to approximately 230 employees as of early 2022.

Plessey's product portfolio includes the AR-Vμ microLED display, which offers high-frame-rate video with daytime viewing clarity for various applications. The company has demonstrated monochromatic monolithic solutions, including an eight-micron pixel High-Definition display in 2019. Plessey's technology is positioned to address the growing demand for microLEDs, with market forecasts projecting up to 330 million units by 2025.