However, AMOLED comes with a word of caution: they are the most premium displays on the market and cost around four to five times the price of a regular display, so they’re certainly not appropriate for every application. But the difference is clear – it uses 80% less power, is around 2mm thick, and offers stunning optical quality. It’s the kind of display that can elevate a product.
The automotive and marine industries, for example, are beginning to adopt AMOLED, valuing it for its ultra-high contrast ratio (1,000,000:1), extensive and true color gamut, wide viewing and, of course, the thin, flexible design. It even withstands a wide temperature range, and now that AMOLED is available in sizes of 15.6” and larger, they will no doubt be found in the higher end of inflight entertainment and other luxury solutions which demand low power, but high quality displays, like powerful home automation applications.
But how does it differ from standard OLED? In the conventional OLED technology, the glass is sandwiched between two cathode layers. Inside these layers, there are two types of particles called electrons and holes. These particles move around when there’s an electrical charge applied. Electrons come from one side (the cathode), and holes come from the other side (the anode).
They meet in the middle, in another layer called the organic layer. When the electrons and holes collide in the organic layer and in the composite light-emitting layer, they emit excited molecules, which release energy in the form of light.
The luminous principle
Used with permission, © Everdisplay Optronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
Today, there are two main types of OLED screens: passive (PMOLED) and active (AMOLED):
PMOLED screens are a simple structure, with each pixel represented by a separate cathode and anode control, but with no additional driver circuit. However, this structure restricts its use in high-resolution large screens.
Today, touch displays are a familiar sight in industrial applications, so making sure that they are robust and durable, while also maintaining their brilliance, is essential. This means that we pay particular attention to how each component of the display is connected – a process called ‘optical bonding’.
If there’s one thing we are used to when we’re operating anything, it’s knobs and dials. We enjoy their familiar tactile experience when we control settings, like volume or menus. Somehow, a 100% touchscreen experience often isn’t enough and there is a real and very human satisfaction in the physical feedback when we ‘touch that dial’.
AMOLED screens operate differently, with a drive circuit controlling the entire cathode surface and light emitting anode. This is how it uses less power while maintaining high-resolution, and fast response. Understandably, AMOLED gradually became the mainstream OLED display.
The driving Mode
Used with permission, © Everdisplay Optronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
In high-resolution AMOLED, the size of the driving circuit has become increasingly smaller and smaller, while the electrical performance requirements have become more sophisticated. Conventional Si (Amorphous Silicon, A-Si) technology has struggled to meet these requirements, so Low-Temperature Polysilicon (LTPS) is the technical solution to this problem. Amorphous silicon can be transformed into polysilicon, which has higher carrier mobility and lower defect density.
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Stefano Rosato - Director, Technical Touch Technology at Avnet Stefano Rosato is director of technical touch technology in the Display Solutions team at Avnet. Stefano helps customers solve touch challenges and supports customers through the whole design-in phase for touchscreen integration. With deep knowledge about PCAP technology, along with its design-in rules, tuning and pattern designs, Stefano is a leading expert in the touchscreen industry.Read More |
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