QVGA EL Display Adds Three-Color Capability

The EL320.240 FA3 is Planar Systems' first QVGA multicolor thin-film electroluminescent (EL) display. Offering the same performance as the company's monochrome EL products, the new display provides red/green/yellow capability that suits it for transportation, medical, military, and industrial applications that require the ability to highlight important information in extreme conditions. The rugged unit offers a wide operating range of –50°C to 85°C and a greater than 160° viewing angle. The display is AMLCD-compatible, and the space-efficient mechanical package complies with the European Union’s Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS)

Planar's EL displays consist of a solid-state glass panel, an electronic control circuit, and an integrated power supply. The thin-film EL glass panel contains a luminescent phosphor layer sandwiched between transparent dielectric layers and a matrix of row and column electrodes. A circuit board containing the drive and control electronics is connected to the back of the glass panel. Voltage applied to the row and column electrodes causes the area of intersection (a pixel) to emit light. The result of this solid-state design is a flat, compact, reliable, and inherently durable display with excellent visual characteristics unaffected by extreme temperatures.