CEATEC JAPAN 2018 Sharp exhibited 8K TFT-LCD TVs and a flexible OLED

October 16-19, CEATEC JAPAN 2018 was held in Makuhari Messe. In this here, topics of display relations are picked up.

As you know, 4K and 8K BS and 110 CS TV broadcasting service will be started in Japan at December 1st, 2018. For this reason, in this time, 4K/8K TV and its peripherals were spotlighted.

Pic.3 S-shaped OLED

Pic.2 Arch-shaped OLED

Pic.1 80-inch TFT-LCD TV

Sharp focuses entirely on 8K as next generation resolution format, and exhibited various size 8K TVs, which will be released at November. Flagship model of its new series is 80-inch TV with 8K/4K TV tuner. In this TV, high aperture ratio cell, double speed driving method, and area control backlight are adopted. As a result, superior specification is obtained for 8K high resolution.

In the booth, original developed OLED was greatly popular, too. 6.2 inch (2,992 × 1,440 pixel) flexible panel was exhibited, and it was adopted as a display of new smartphone “AQUOS zero”, which will be released at this Autumn. As picture 2 and 3, S-shaped type and arch-shaped type were demonstrated.

Pic.4 AQUOS zero

As concerns technology, in this panel, low temperature poly-Si TFT and polyimide (PI) film were adopted as active backplane and rear substrate respectively. Its display device was solidly encapsulated by use of front plastic film. By the way, its display with PI film was separated from the original glass substrate finally by making use of the laser lift-off process. In short, first of all, PI film is coated on an original glass substrate, and then, cured by annealing process. The next, TFT and OLED device are manufactured by use of the conventional manufacturing processes, finally, it is released from the original glass substrate by irradiation of laser beam from rear side.

Gray scale number of E-paper is increased by adopt of new coloring method

On the other hand, E-Ink appealed a new color e-paper device“ACeP”. In this device, Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and W (white) coloring toners are used, and they are filled into micro-capsules. Display mechanism of this panel is same as that of the conventional monochrome panel; however, gay scale is controlled by stacking level of toners in the front electrode, which is determined by applied voltage. In short, charge level of toner is controlled with respect to each color because of different threshold voltage. Of course, if white is displayed, W toner is adhered to the front electrode, on the other hand, if black is displayed, 3 toners (Y, M, and C) are adhered to the front electrode.

Pic.5 32-inch color E-paper display

As a result, number of colors is increased same as 32,768 (32 gray scale). By the way, that of the conventional micro color filter (CF) panel is mere 4096. And also, brightness is approximate double compared to CF panel because of without black toner, absorbs reflect light. Of course, opening ratio, in short, actual light utilization efficiency is increased because display mechanism is not based on spatial segmentation method such as CF panel. However, response speed becomes to be slower because of its display mechanism, and writing time is about 15 sec.

In the booth, 13.3-inch panel (1600×1200 pixel) and 32-inch panel (2400×1800 pixel) were exhibited. The former will be mass-produced at Q1, 2019. And also, 26.6-inch panel (3200×2400 pixel) will be released from next spring, too. By the way, the company is producing CF panels at the present moment; however, focuses this ACeP panel as color panel from here on out.