Applications

Flat Collimator for High-Energy-Efficient Backlighting LCD for Computer Applications

Efficiency Improvements in K-Type Polarizers

Thin-Film Anti-Reflection Conductive Coating Controls High-Frequency Emissions in LCDs

Improving EMC Characteristics in Flat-Panel Displays

Computer Simulation of Avionic LCDs

Unexplained Voids is LCDs

Study of the Temperature Dependence of the PSCT Display

Color-Filter Production by Continuous-Flow Automatic Manufacturing

Helmet-Mounted Display with Dual Resolution

High-Resolution Stereo Solutions for Virtual-Reality Applications

Hybrid Deflection Amplifier for Helmet-Mounted Visually Coupled Systems

DMD Reliability Assessment for Large-Area Displays

High-Resolution Inspection Method for In-Line Substrate Surface Testing

Repair of Active and Passive Plates of LCDs, Field-Emission Displays, and Color Plasma FPDs, up to 800 x 800 mm

Machine-Vision-Based Display-Image-Quality Assessment

Evaluation of Specular and Diffused Reflectances in LCDs

Edge-Emitter TFEL Head-Up Display for Automotive Use

Stereoscopic LCDs without Special Glasses



Flat Collimator for High-Energy-Efficient Backlighting LCD for Computer Applications
C.-Y. Tai, H. Zou
BriteView Technologies, Inc., Holland, OH
full paper

An energy-efficient backlight system that utilizes a specially designed flat collimator to efficiently couple through the backlight system essentially all of the light by means of total internal reflection is discussed. A specifically designed thin film to redirect the output light to the direction and expand the divergence angle of the output light to the desired values for the display is also described. Through the use of this film, the thickness of the system is notably reduced.



Efficiency Improvements in K-Type Polarizers
K. Abcunas, J. Cael, N. Gettens, J. Magenheimer, G. Trapani, S. Bennett
Polaroid Polarizer Division, Norwood, MA
full paper

Traditional K-type polarizers have been characterized by high durability but low transmissivity when high-efficiency versions are designed. Recent progress in the development of K-type polarizers has resulted in significant improvements in performance resulting in 99% efficiency with a transmissivity greater than 42%. This has been accomplished without compromising the durability of thousands of hours at 80°C and 80% RH. Test results are presented for prototype devices. The robust characteristics of these polarizers results in a cost-saving single-sided support structure that is discussed.



Thin-Film Anti-Reflection Conductive Coating Controls High-Frequency Emissions in LCDs
M. Resso
Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc., Santa Rosa, CA
D. Evanicky, J. Meyer
Silicon Graphics, Inc., Mountain View, CA
full paper

A conductive high-efficiency anti-reflection (CHEA®) coating has been developed to reduce the high-frequency emissions (40-200 MHz) radiated from a high-resolution active-matrix LCD (AMLCD). The reactive sputtering process is utilized to deposit an indium tin oxide (ITO) based multilayer coating onto a linear polarizer, which is then laminated directly to the AMLCD. A novel AMLCD projection application which realized both optical and electrical benefits from the CHEA® coating will be described. A model of the near-field shielding theory is discussed to illustrate the suitability of test methodologies.



Improving EMC Characteristics in Flat-Panel Displays
B. Graham
Sharp Electronics, Houston, TX
full paper

To pass FCC testing, high-speed displays with large data formats, such as SVGA or XGA, will need improvements in their EMI characteristics. Presently, shielding and cabling at the system level has been the common remedy for EMI problems. However, higher-speed displays require improvements within the display itself. A display is be analyzed, and recommendations on methods for improving EMI characteristics are made.



Computer Simulation of Avionic LCDs
B. W. Walker
Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, Seattle, WA
full paper

Computer simulation has been used to evaluate LCD designs against requirements. Differences in orientation conventions and extraction of refractive indices from measured data are discussed. An overview of the different series optical models to satisfy the simulation requirements is described. Selection of appropriate models to satisfy the simulation requirements are discussed.



Unexplained Voids in LCDs
J. J. Doyle, Jr.
Aerospace Display Systems, Hatfield, PA
full paper

LCD modules, returned form the field in a military application for void formation are analyzed for root cause. These displays also exhibited a chromaticity shift. Through controlled experiments, a combination of mechanical shock and solar irradiation were found to be responsible for void formation. Details of the analysis and experiments are discussed.



Study of the Temperature Dependence of the PSCT Display
M.-H. Lu, H. Yuan, D. Catchople, J. Wager, Z. Yaniv
Kent Display Systems, Kent, OH
full paper

Improvement in temperature of the polymer-stabilized cholesteric texture (PSCT) display has been achieved by means of implementing temperature compensation. This was designed according to the study of temperature dependence of the material. The operating temperature of the PSCT display, without a heater, has been extended from 15 to 60°C to -10 to 75°C. The shift of the reflection is less than 15 nm over the entire temperature range.



Color-Filter Production by Continuous-Flow Automatic Manufacturing
D. Chen, Z. Chen
Wande, Inc., Dallas, TX
full paper

Recent approaches and developments in incorporating advanced coating, imaging, and sputtering technologies into a continuous-flow automated system for color-filter production are discussed. This production system is integrated as a subsystem into a fully automated LCD manufacturing system.



Helmet-Mounted Display with Dual Resolution
A. Fernie
CAE Electronics, Ltd., Montreal, Canada
full paper

The development of a helmet-mounted display that provides a high-resolution eye-slaved area-of-interest (AOI) and a wide-field-of-view background from a single-image source is described. The system is unique in that both the AOI and the background images are generated within a single-image generator/projector channel, eliminating the problems associated with combining and matching multiple images.



High-Resolution Stereo Solutions for Virtual-Reality Applications
I. E. McDowall, M. T. Bolas
Fakespace, Inc., Menlo Park, CA
full paper

In a number of applications, achieving a high quality display solution for a virtual environment or simulation involves using a unique display solution. In addition to head mounted displays, immersive applications are employing displays which are static, attached to the vehicle the person is riding, or counter balanced. These approaches deliver high quality sounds and inages which are used to create an immersive experience.



Hybrid Deflection Amplifier for Helmet-Mounted Visually Coupled Systems
J. A. Ross
Logicon Technical Services, Inc., Dayton, OH
D. Kocian
Armstrong Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
full paper

The development of a hybrid deflection amplifier with enhanced performance and reduced footprint, and a compatible miniature-CRT deflection yoke with improved performance is discussed. These developments complement past/current video-amplifier hybrid/miniature-CRT development efforts in conjunction with the government-initiated helmet/vehicle interface (HVI) as applied to helmet-mounted displays. Three design approaches to the improved yoke performance (stator core, interleaved hanks, and constant volume) is reported.



DMD Reliability Assessment for Large-Area Displays
M. R. Douglass, D. M. Kozuch
Texas Instruments, Dallas, TX
full paper

With 442,368 movable mirrors on a 2.3 sq cm chip, the digital micromirror device (DMD) is presently demonstrating truly digital displays. DMD technology, reliability testing status, methods to identify failure mechanisms, and processes being used to ensure robust display systems in each major customer-usage area are summarized.



High-Resolution Inspection Method for In-Line Substrate Surface Testing
A. Brunfeld, G. Toker
Display Inspection Systems, Wixom, MI
full paper

The black-beam interferometry method was applied on a new inspection machine for in-line defect inspection of glass substrates and coated panels, real-time roughness testing, and measurement of submicron structures. The sensitivity of the new machine is in the nanometer range, and the speed is approximately 3000 sq mm/s. The system is modularly built, adjustment tolerant, reliable, and cost-effective. The design of the inspection machine and the experimental results are presented.



Repair of Active and Passive Plates of LCDs, Field-Emission Displays, and Color Plasma FPDs, up to 800 x 800 mm
J. D. Casey, Jr., S. Shenoy, D. E. Yansen
Micrion Corp., Peabody, MA
full paper

A new, improved repair system utilizing laser cutting and laser deposition (metal and insulator) to repair defects in AMLCDs, FEDs, and color plasma FPDs has been developed. Electrical opens and shorts have been successfully repaired in fully functional active and passive substrates. Throughput and cost have been reduced, extending the usable panel surface up to 800 x 800 mm.



Machine-Vision-Based Display-Image-Quality Assessment
Y. Kipman
KDY Associates, Nashua, NH
J. Ludlow
Acuity Imaging, Inc., Nashua, NH
full paper

A system for display-quality assessment based on a standard-platform machine-vision system is presented. The system, which is based on a widely used application for print-quality measurement, is described in terms of the measurement set and its applicability to inspection of LCD and other display types.



Evaluation of Specular and Diffused Reflectances in LCDs
M. Ishikawa, Y. Tanaka, H. Hatoh
Toshiba Corp., Yokohama, Japan
full paper

Specular and diffused reflections in LCDs, which comprise various black-matrix (BM) materials and polarizers, were measured. By comparing the experimental and visually estimated results, requirements necessary to obtain more-legible LCD screens experiencing specular and diffused reflections are obtained.



Edge-Emitter TFEL Head-Up Display for Automotive Use
D. E. Flechsig, J. W. Dzimianski, Z. K. Kun, T. Shutt
Westinghouse Advanced Technology Laboratory, Baltimore, MD
N. J. Phillips
Westinghouse Science & Technology Center, Pittsburgh, PA
full paper

A two-digit numerical display, consisting of seven edge-emitting segments in each digit, was constructed to demonstrate the feasibility of projection head-up displays (HUDs) using thin-film electroluminescent (TFEL) devices. Each segment contains two edge-emitter devices to enhance brightness. A virtual image of the digits, projected onto a mock-up windshield, is sufficiently bright to be readable under all ambient-light conditions.



Stereoscopic LCDs without Special Glasses
G. Hamagishi, M. Sakata, A. Yamashita, K. Mashitani, E. Nakayama, S. Kishimoto, K. Kanatani
Sanyo Electric Co., Osaka, Japan
full paper

A new stereoscopic LCD which requires no special glasses has been developed. The display utilizes a parallax barrier to split the image into right- and left-eye images. The resulting display provides bright 3-D images.