Novel LCD Technology Elevates Mobile Performance

Jan. 19, 2004

A new Thin-Film-Transistor (TFT) liquid-crystal technology promises to bring high performance to LCD panels up to 6.5 in. in diameter. Sharp's mobile Advanced Super View LCD technology, used in displays for the company's AQUOS LCD TVs, has been merged with the company's Advanced TFT LCD technology used in transreflective LCDs for PDAs and mobile phones. The combination yields an LCD with high-resolution video and photographic-quality still images.

The new displays are designed for mobile devices, such as camera phones, that display streaming video content and color images. They offer excellent visibility in any lighting situation, a wide viewing angle, high contrast ratio, and high-end color reproduction. Versions with diagonal sizes of 1.5, 2.4 (see the figure), 4.0, and 6.5 in. will be available for applications in digital still cameras, mobile phones, PDAs, mobile TVs, and car navigation systems.

The four models feature respective resolutions of 560 by 240 pixels, 240 by RGB by 320 pixels (QVGA), 480 by RGB by 640 pixels (VGA), and 400 by RGB by 234 (WQCGA) pixels. Each has a 300:1 contrast ratio, 25-ms response time, and 160° vertical and horizontal viewing angles. Samples of the displays will be available in the first quarter, with volume shipments coming in second quarter. Pricing has yet to be determined.

Sharp Corp.www.sharpsma.com

About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.