2010 R&D 100 Winner
In response to demand for paper-like, flexible e-books, e-maps, e-newspapers and more, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan, has developed a technology process, FlexUPD, Flexible Universal Plane for Displays, to enable the manufacture of flexible displays on a mass scale using existing LCD manufacturing facilities. The universal active matrix backplane technology is compatible with liquid crystal display, organic light-emitting diode, and electronic paper display standards.
Their technology process is a way to mass manufacture paper-like flexible flat displays thinner than any displays currently on the market. The commercial production of such displays has been limited by the lack of an active matrix backplane technology that allows the backplane to survive the de-bonding procedure that separates the backplane from the production carrier substrate.
ITRI developed a polymide layer production substrate that adheres to the glass during the fabrication process, but releases from the glass carrier post-production.
In tests, the process outperforms other backplane manufacturing processes in drying temperature, layer transparency, de-bonding, and removal speed.
Technology
Flexible display backplane manufacturing process
Developer
Industrial Technology Research Institute
Development Team
The FlexUPD Development Team from Industrial Technology Research Institute:
Yu-Yang Chang
Cheng-Chung Lee
Chung-I Lee
Tzong-Ming Lee
Chyi-Ming Leu
Jia-Chong Ho
