Rick DeMeis, Senior Technical Editor --
Design News,
April 23, 2001
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Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas' (Camas, WA) Advanced TFT (thin-film transistor) display is a transreflective device—it can run in a transmissive mode (in which the backlight is transmitted out the front of the display) or in a reflective mode (where ambient light is reflected off the microreflective structures within the display, and then back out the front). The display features the low power consumption and thin size of the company's previous TFT displays but counters the adverse effects of ambient light—improving visibility under very bright or very dark conditions.
According to Sharp Microelectronics' Joel Pollack, vice president, display products business unit, "Small feature size in the display structure is key to its viewability." These include the small microreflective (MR) structure elements in the HR (highly reflective) TFT-LCD portion of the display. These small elements eliminate parallax effects within the structure, yielding a sharper image. In the transmissive elements, small feature sizes permit a very high aperture ratio (i.e. a large open area in the substrate) for greater light transmission. The MR elements and the lower backlight power needed for light transmission reduce overall display power consumption—critical in hand-held and portable uses.
The Advanced TFT displays are aimed at automotive screen functions such as navigation, telematics, PCs, head-up displays, and rear-seat entertainment. Applications also include cell phones, Palm devices, Internet appliances, factory automation, test and measurement, medical, and point of sale.Additional Details...Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas, 5700 N.W. Pacific Rim Blvd., Camas, WA 98607; Tel: (800) 642-0261; www.sharpsma.com, or Enter No. 515.
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