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17 Jun 2002
E Ink of Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, has demonstrated the world's thinnest active-matrix display. At 0.3 mm thick, the prototypes are less than half the thickness of a credit card and are more than 80% thinner than typical glass-based LCDs.
The company demonstrated two display sizes, one for smart card and mobile phone applications, and the other for PDA-type devices or communicators. The construction combines a thin, shatterproof steel foil transistor substrate with E Ink's paper-like electronic-ink display material coated onto a plastic face sheet. Steel foil was chosen as the transistor backplane material because of its overall performance from ease of processing through to rugged final use.
Michael McCreary, vice-president of R&D at E Ink, said: "These displays are an important milestone for E Ink. These prototypes are the first of their kind on steel foil, and their thinness and flexibility opens many exciting application opportunities. The beauty of this technology is that it is compatible with existing display production technology, cutting years off time-to-market."
The company is actively searching for licensing partners for mass production. First products for the consumer market are expected in 2004.
The smaller display measures 1.6 inch on the diagonal with a resolution of 100 x 80 pixels, equivalent to 80 pixels per inch. The second prototype measures 3 inches at a resolution of 240 x 160 with 96 pixels per inch.
Rival developer in the flexible plastic-display field, Viztec of Cleveland, Ohio, has just announced a strategic partnership with materials firm Promerus, LLC to develop its cyclic olefin technology.
Another company with flexible ambitions is DuPont Displays, which recently demonstrated a 1.5 inch 84 x 48 curved OLED display for mobile phones.
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