HP display flexibly December 10, 2008 14:08 by John Sollars

Scientists with HP and Arizona State University's Flexible Display Centre have unveiled what they claim is an unbreakable active matrix computer screen that performs in a similar manner to a laptop computer screen.

Mass production of such displays could make laptops, smart phones and other electronic devices cheaper since the display is usually a significant proportion of the material cost of such devices.

Flexible displays are being developed as an alternative to rigid glass screens and the HP-Arizona State prototype is produced by layering materials that can be rolled out like a paper towel, but uses 90% fewer materials and is less expensive to build than any of the current flexible displays.

"The display HP has created with the FDC proves the technology and demonstrates the remarkable innovation we're bringing to the rapidly growing display market", Carl Taussig, director of information Surfaces at HP Labs, said in a statement.  "In addition to providing a lower-cost process, this technology represents a more sustainable, environmentally sensitive approach to producing electronic displays".

To build a strong a functional flexible screen, scientists started with stacks of semiconductor materials and metals imposed onto a flexible plastic film produced by DuPont Teijin.  Layers of electronic ink, called bi-stable electrophoretic imaging film are imprinted through a special lithography process and arranged so that the images can be seen with very little power.

This sort of display is ideal for a new generation of portable devices, including e-readers and similar hand held products.

Industry experts are predicting sales could soar from $80 Million in 2007 to $2.8 Billion by 2013