Article Abstracts | February 2007
The complete article appears in the February 2007 issue of Photonics Spectra. If you do not have a copy of this issue,
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Automakers Are Keeping a Sharp Eye on Flexible Displays
Alternative materials and low-cost printing technologies are needed to push flexible
displays to the forefront.
by Mark Fihn, Veritas et Visus
One exciting area in the flat panel display industry is the emergence of flexible displays. In recent years, LCDs have dominated the industry, but they are glass-based solutions. Hundreds of companies are working to devise displays built on plastic, metal foils or other flexible substrates in an effort to dislodge the pre-eminent LCDs.
The auto industry has been relatively slow in adopting LCDs. This is due not to a lack of effort on the part of car manufacturers, but rather because automotive displays must meet very strict safety-related requirements and function in extreme environmental conditions. Although LCDs work well for notebook PCs and TVs, they do not function well in freezing temperatures and are not adequate for the ambient brightness that automobiles encounter on a sunny day. Thus, the automotive industry has been paying very close attention to developments associated with flexible substrates...
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