The Flexible Display Center (FDC) at Arizona State University and Hewlett Packard (HP) have been collaborating on a flexible, paper-like, display technology that is made almost entirely from plastic. They today announced their first prototype of the technology, which uses less power and 90 percent less materials by volume than traditional displays.

The technology is based on an HP invention called Self-Aligned Imprint Lithography (SAIL) which enables thin-film transistor arrays to be fabricated in a continuous roll-to-roll process on plastic material (photo above). This process enables rapid and efficient mass-production.

The achievement was made possible by the contributions of other FDC partners like DuPont Teijin Films who supplied the flexible Teonex® Polyethylene Naphthalate (PEN) substrates. E Ink was also involved, supplying their Vizplex™ imaging film which enables images to remain on the display without an applied voltage, much like e-paper technology.

There are numerous benefits to come out of this development, but the real breakthrough here is the ability to mass-produce these panels on the cheap. This is what will move the tech from laboratory discovery to marketplace ubiquity and in the process, help drive down the cost of laptops and cell phones whose current displays are one of their costliest parts.

Source:
Business Wire (Press Release)