Reflective flexible liquid crystal display technology from the University of Strathclyde enables solar powered electronic display advertisements

New licensing opportunity available at www.university-technology.com

Researchers at the University of Strathclyde have developed a new reflective bistable liquid crystal display (LCD) capable of maintaining static images in full daylight without requiring an external power supply. The low cost display technology can be manufactured using a standard roll to roll printing process – a technique never used in LCD manufacturing before.

This unique technology incorporates reflective display units which are flexible and extremely tough making them ideal for outdoor screens in any shape. Being bistable they only require power to change the image presented and, overall, offers such a significant energy advantage over traditional electronic displays. They are also ideal for use with local solar panels in situ offering potential further cost savings.

Further details of the technology are available at: www.university-technology.com a web-based initiative between Scotland’s 13 universities to publicise some of their brightest and best science and technology licensing opportunities.

An important portion of the unit’s power saving is made because, in addition to being bi-stable, the display is highly reflective. This means that is easier to read in direct sunlight and does not require the large backlight - which consume much of the power of a traditional electronic display.

The novel construction technique used in the new Strathclyde technology replaces the continuous layer of liquid crystal in a standard device with a polymer substructure with the ability to micro-confine the liquid crystal into discrete wells. The shape and surface properties of the polymer and the presence of high-distortion regions create multi-stable states. The states are optically differentiable and can represent levels of grey from black to white. Switching between states can be achieved using in-plane electrodes. In each of the stable states the average liquid crystal molecular direction remains in the plane of the bounding surfaces.

The standard, and scalable, manufacturing processes incorporating flexible robust plastic components make the technology suitable for a range of products including large screen advertising displays, mobile phones, laptop PCs, ATMs, electronic paper, smart cards and disposable displays.

The prototypes under development have been proven to be truly bistable and suitable for production using a roll to roll print process. The University of Strathclyde is now seeking a partner with expertise in interdigitive electrodes to help take this technology to market.

Technology licensing opportunities available on www.university-technology.com include developments in: biotechnology & diagnostics, software communications & digital media, energy & engineering, optoelectronics and microelectronics. The site also includes a searchable database, which contains information on the full range of licensing opportunities currently available.

For more information please visit www.university-technology.com