Shanghai firm's chips could end monopoly

The first domestically developed LCOS chips have moved into mass production, raising hopes of breaking a monopoly in the field.

LCOS, or Liquid Crystal On Silicon, is a micro display chip made by a combination of silicon-based material and liquid crystal technology. It’s essential in the electronic information industry, widely used in display applications such as projectors, laser TV and AR and VR glasses.

The annual potential demand for LCOS chips is over hundreds of millions. But the field has long been monopolized by the US and Japan. Shanghai HXC Industry Co is expected to spell the end to that situation.

HXC developed the country’s first LCOS chips last year. Over the past year, the company have worked to improved their performance, and mass production began this month, a move Li Kun, the company’s general managed, described as a great leap forward.

Zheng Weimin, an academician from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said: “Very few domestic companies are engaged in designing and developing LCOS chips. It has a high entry threshold, but it also has bright market prospects.”