Archive Magazine 1996/ARCHIVE_96.iso/discs/mag_discs/volume_9/issue_09/clippings/NewDisplay

Text File | 1996-05-07 | 5KB | 106 lines

Cambridge Display Technology Claim World First with Dot Matrix LEP
Display Showing


Cambridge Display Technology (CDT) today unveiled its Light Emitting
Polymer (LEP) dot matrix display, which it will show in public at the
Society for Information Display (SID meeting) in San Diego, California
this month.  This will be the world's first public demonstration of such
a prototype.

The display has applications in a wide range of potential markets,
ranging from replacement technology in applications such as personal
digital assistants (PDAs) or advertising display boards, through to
completely new products such as virtual reality headsets.

The prototype LEP dot matrix display combines the low voltage DC benefits
of traditional LEDs with the large area patternability associated with
non-emissive display technologies such as LCDs.  The prototype display
consists of a grid of pixels of density 100/cm(2), and measures 60mm by
20mm.  Graphical, text and moving images are generated by driving the
displays with conventional matrix display drives, consolidating the
advantage the displays have due to their low cost manufacturing base.
"LEP displays are constructed using simple techniques and the intrinsic
properties of the materials means that high resolution is easily
obtainable.  At present, the display size and resolution is limited by
our in-house equipment rather than the technology," said Mark Gostick,
business development manager at CDT.  "We believe the demonstrations show
that LEPs are beginning to fulfil the long term goals we have set our
selves for making high information content displays" he added.

One of the unique properties of LEP displays is that they can be designed
to have good legibility and wide viewing angles at low power use levels.
The low power characteristic combined with the potential to display high
information content makes the screen ideal for mobile applications such
as digital watches; hand held games machines; calculators; and mobile
telephones.  Meanwhile the ability to produce flat large area displays
means the technology is an ideal replacement in applications such as
airport timetable indicators, tube and rail indicators, electronic
advertising hoardings or promotional moving displays.

Initially CDT has fabricated a green dot matrix display.  By engineering
the properties of the light emitting polymers they expect to demonstrate
a red version very shortly.  In the last year, CDT has synthesised
polymers which emit light in the red, green and blue regions of the
visible spectrum.

Work is underway to develop driving schemes which would allow these to be
used to make full colour graphics displays without the need for a complex
active array of electronic switches such as those found in today's high
performance flat panel displays.  This would allow LEPs to be used as a
replacement for the cathode ray tube and LCD in computer displays and
television.

"The dot matrix is one of a range of products that we plan to introduce
to the market using LEPs",  said Danny Chapchal, CEO, "and today's
announcement shows that we are on target to achieve that.  We are working
with our partner Xyratex to aggressively scale up our device
manufacturing process and bring our first product to market.  At the same
time we are developing the capabilities of the technology so that we can
quickly move to higher added value and LEP specific products for the
mobile communication market, which is our focus.  The dot matrix
demonstration is a good example of how we have accelerated LEP
development because of our company's focus, and how this can benefit our
partners and licensees." Chapchal concluded.

"As Light Emitting Polymers were discovered in Cambridge, it is entirely
appropriate that we are leading the world in the commercial development
of products based on the technology.  The prototype dot matrix LEP
display is the next stage in the commercial realisation of LEP
technology, following on from the LEP-based back lights and seven segment
displays which we demonstrated last year," said Professor Friend, who is
the Cavendish Professor of Physics at Cambridge University, and also a
director of Cambridge Display Technology.

The dot matrix screen is constructed from a thin film of light emitting
polymer on a glass substrate coated with a transparent, indium tin oxide
electrode.  An aluminium electrode is evaporated on top of the polymer.
The electrodes are patterned, in orthogonal rows and columns.  Light is
emitted from the area at the intersection of these lines when current is
applied.

Unlike liquid crystal or plasma displays, which require thin film
processing on two glass plates, LEPs can be fabricated on one sheet of
glass or plastic.  This greatly simplifies processing and reduces cost.
Additionally, the ability to manufacture devices on flexible plastic
substrates introduces new form factor opportunities and, for example,
allows displays which conform to product shapes to be made.

        -ends-



For more information on Cambridge Display Technology, check:
http://www.cityscape.co.uk/users/fq22

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Stephen Waddington                     [e-mail]
A Plus Group Limited                              [e-mail]

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