Tape Reduces LED Count In Edge-Lit Designs

Uniformity Tape from 3M claims to reduce the number of LEDs required for edge-lit LED LCD panels without sacrificing brightness or efficiency. Adhering to the edge of the light guide, which faces the LED light sources, it is a clear tape with adhesive on one side and a micro-replicated optical pattern on the other. The tape increases light spreading in the light guide from each LED, thereby increasing the allowable LED spacing. The optical pattern is spatially uniform, meaning that no positional registration of LEDs is required along its length. The tape keeps the edge of the display closest to the LEDs uniform in brightness when the spacing of light sources is increased. Uniformity Tape can also increase LED spacing up to three times the current spacing while maintaining edge uniformity for a given bezel size. 3M ELECTRONICS, Saint Paul, MN. (800) 567-1639.