07-07-2012, 10:35 AM
Flexible Flat Panel Display Technology
[attachment=27039]
Introduction
The manufacturing of flat panel displays is a dynamic and continuously evolving industry. Improvements of flat panel displays are made rapidly as technology improves and new discoveries are made by display scientists and engineers. The cathode ray tube and active matrix liquid crystal display (LCD) recently celebrated their 100th and 25th anniversary, respectively. The arrival of portable electronic devices has put an increasing premium on durable, lightweight and inexpensive display components. In recent years, there has been significant research investment in the development of a flexible display technology. Figure 1.1 shows the evolution away from the bulky CRT display to the thin active matrix LCD for desktop applications, and the much anticipated paper-like flexible flat panel display of the future. To enable a flexible flat panel display, a flexible substrate must be used to replace conventional glass substrates, which can be either plastic or thin glass. Flexible flat panel display technologies offer many potential advantages, such as very thin profiles, lightweight and robust display systems, the ability to flex, curve, conform, roll, and fold a display for extreme portability, high-throughput manufacturing, wearable displays integrated in garments and textiles, and ultimate engineering design freedom (e.g. odd-shaped displays)
as shown in Figure 1.2(a).
Manufacturing
Although it may be somewhat of an overstatement, the words ‘‘holy grail’’ are often used to describe the flat panel display community desire to achieve a commercialized flexible display technology (Kincade 2004). One reason why these words are often used is because flexible displays, in principle, are amendable to a roll-to-roll manufacturing process which would be a revolutionary change from current batch process manufacturing (Chapter 21). Figure 1.4 shows a simple conceptual illustration of a roll-to-roll manufacturing process where display materials are deposited on indium-tin-oxide (ITO) coated plastic substrates, processed, and rolled back up.
Enabling Technologies
The technology of flexible displays includes many components and supporting technologies. Anticipating a new market opportunity, the display industry has been developing display materials targeted specifically at flexible flat panel display requirements. These technologies must be compatible and converge to enable a truly flexible display. The necessary technologies include robust flexible substrates, conducting transparent conducting oxides and/or conducting polymers, electro-optic and reflecting materials, inorganic and organic
electronics, and packaging technologies. In addition, many processes must also be developed and optimized in concert with the materials development.
FLEXIBLE FLAT PANEL DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
coating technology, and printing. In reality, these components and processes cannot be optimized independently since a flexible display is a complex system of linked components
that must be co-developed in order to function efficiently. It should be made clear that not all technologies described in this book will survive the flexible flat panel race. Since the field is still racing towards commercialization at a rapid pace, it is not at all clear which technologies will win and ultimately become commercialized. The book provides an overview of nearly all the technologies competing in the flexible display landscape, and each topic area provides several solutions for the specific needs of a flexible flat panel display.
Conclusions
The recent development of many components and supporting technologies for flexible flat
panel display applications, such as substrates, conducting layers, barrier layers, electro-optic
materials, thin film transistor technologies, and manufacturing processes, is accelerating the
flexible flat panel display concept towards the marketplace. Very impressive flexible flat
panel display prototypes have been manufactured by several display groups around the
world, which continues to drive interest and development in the field. The fundamental
purpose of the book is to provide a comprehensive work that covers the knowledge needed to
understand the various technologies associated with the burgeoning field of flexible flat panel
displays and to disclose the state of the art in the field.
[attachment=27039]
Introduction
The manufacturing of flat panel displays is a dynamic and continuously evolving industry. Improvements of flat panel displays are made rapidly as technology improves and new discoveries are made by display scientists and engineers. The cathode ray tube and active matrix liquid crystal display (LCD) recently celebrated their 100th and 25th anniversary, respectively. The arrival of portable electronic devices has put an increasing premium on durable, lightweight and inexpensive display components. In recent years, there has been significant research investment in the development of a flexible display technology. Figure 1.1 shows the evolution away from the bulky CRT display to the thin active matrix LCD for desktop applications, and the much anticipated paper-like flexible flat panel display of the future. To enable a flexible flat panel display, a flexible substrate must be used to replace conventional glass substrates, which can be either plastic or thin glass. Flexible flat panel display technologies offer many potential advantages, such as very thin profiles, lightweight and robust display systems, the ability to flex, curve, conform, roll, and fold a display for extreme portability, high-throughput manufacturing, wearable displays integrated in garments and textiles, and ultimate engineering design freedom (e.g. odd-shaped displays)
as shown in Figure 1.2(a).
Manufacturing
Although it may be somewhat of an overstatement, the words ‘‘holy grail’’ are often used to describe the flat panel display community desire to achieve a commercialized flexible display technology (Kincade 2004). One reason why these words are often used is because flexible displays, in principle, are amendable to a roll-to-roll manufacturing process which would be a revolutionary change from current batch process manufacturing (Chapter 21). Figure 1.4 shows a simple conceptual illustration of a roll-to-roll manufacturing process where display materials are deposited on indium-tin-oxide (ITO) coated plastic substrates, processed, and rolled back up.
Enabling Technologies
The technology of flexible displays includes many components and supporting technologies. Anticipating a new market opportunity, the display industry has been developing display materials targeted specifically at flexible flat panel display requirements. These technologies must be compatible and converge to enable a truly flexible display. The necessary technologies include robust flexible substrates, conducting transparent conducting oxides and/or conducting polymers, electro-optic and reflecting materials, inorganic and organic
electronics, and packaging technologies. In addition, many processes must also be developed and optimized in concert with the materials development.
FLEXIBLE FLAT PANEL DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
coating technology, and printing. In reality, these components and processes cannot be optimized independently since a flexible display is a complex system of linked components
that must be co-developed in order to function efficiently. It should be made clear that not all technologies described in this book will survive the flexible flat panel race. Since the field is still racing towards commercialization at a rapid pace, it is not at all clear which technologies will win and ultimately become commercialized. The book provides an overview of nearly all the technologies competing in the flexible display landscape, and each topic area provides several solutions for the specific needs of a flexible flat panel display.
Conclusions
The recent development of many components and supporting technologies for flexible flat
panel display applications, such as substrates, conducting layers, barrier layers, electro-optic
materials, thin film transistor technologies, and manufacturing processes, is accelerating the
flexible flat panel display concept towards the marketplace. Very impressive flexible flat
panel display prototypes have been manufactured by several display groups around the
world, which continues to drive interest and development in the field. The fundamental
purpose of the book is to provide a comprehensive work that covers the knowledge needed to
understand the various technologies associated with the burgeoning field of flexible flat panel
displays and to disclose the state of the art in the field.