IBM breakthrough rubs out LCD problems

From...

By David Legard

(IDG) -- Scientists at IBM have found a new way to align crystal molecules inside flat-panel LCDs, which will provide higher screen quality as well as large savings for LCD manufacturers, IBM said in a statement.

IBM said it will begin full production of LCD screens using the new technique by the end of this year, and may license the patented technology to other manufacturers.

IDG.net INFOCENTER InfoWorld Main Page InfoWorld Test Center Subscribe to InfoWorld Newsletters Infoworld Opinions and Spotlights Features Top 10 rules for e-business success Bluetooth wireless connectivity set to take off DSL in distress Visit an IDG site Choose a site: IDG.net CIO Computerworld Darwin Dummies.com GamePro.com The Industry Standard ITWorld.com InfoWorld.com JavaWorld LinuxWorld Macworld Online Network World Fusion PC World Publish.com UnixInsider IDG.net search

The principle -- atomic beam alignment -- will replace an effect first discovered 95 years ago, when it was noted that rubbing a polymer substrate with a velvet cloth caused liquid crystals deposited on the substrate to align with the rubbed traces.

Without alignment of the crystals, usable LCDs cannot be built, so all LCD manufacturers have been forced to use the rubbing technique for the last 20 years to build notebook computer and mobile phone displays.

Replacing rubbing by the non-contact atomic beam method has been the most asked-for scientific improvement in the LCD manufacturing world, according to IBM. Among other disadvantages, the rubbing process is not completely understood scientifically, making it difficult to improve the technology or solve difficulties, IBM said.

IBM's new method starts by depositing a thin layer of diamond-like carbon instead of using a polymer substrate. Then, an ion gun shoots atoms at an angle, pushing aside many of the surface carbon atoms. When the rod-shaped liquid crystal molecules are added, one end of each molecule attaches to an exposed carbon atom, resulting in the alignment of all the liquid crystal molecules in the direction of the rows.

The LCD breakthrough is the second technical advance announced recently by IBM. Late last month it announced it had built the world's first array of transistors out of carbon nanotubes.

LCD monitor prices continue to fall
April 23, 2001
Mitsubishi unveils DRAM in thin transistor LCD
April 20, 2001
Flat panel displays big at CeBIT
March 27, 2001
Big and flat: LCD monitor prices thin out
February 1, 2001
Flat-panel price decreases forecast
December 10, 2000
Review: Powerful, sleek LCD monitors
September 28, 2000
Apple Studio Displays: More than a pretty picture
September 11, 2000
Flat's where it's at
June 7, 2000

IBM drops price, boosts quality of flat-panels
(PCWorld.com)
Toshiba to launch 20.8 inch TFT LCD
(IDG.net)
LCD prices just keep falling
(PCWorld.com)
LG develops LCD screen with integrated touch sensor
(IDG.net)
Sharp gets serious about LCD TVs
(IDG.net)
Sharp readies color LCD for mobile phones
(InfoWorld.com)
http://www.idg.net/idgns/2001/03/26/CEBITInFlatPanelsBig.shtml
(IDG.net)
NEC to release new 50-Inch PDP panel
(IDG.net)

IBM

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.