來自臺(tái)灣地區(qū)的工研院(ITRI)影像顯示科技中心主任程章林(Janglin Chen)預(yù)估，彩色卷軸式顯示器(rollable color display)最快在2015年就能問世，并可望催生一系列全新的便攜式產(chǎn)品。臺(tái)灣工研院的軟性顯示器在日前打敗了超過590位競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手，贏得了Dow Jones所頒發(fā)的創(chuàng)新金獎(jiǎng)(gold innovation award)。

 包括程章林在內(nèi)的眾顯示器技術(shù)研究專家，目前仍在尋找一種機(jī)制，能讓消費(fèi)者把智能型手機(jī)或是平板裝置尺寸之顯示器，卷進(jìn)一個(gè)只有胖胖的蠟筆那么大的系統(tǒng)中；但到目前為止，軟性顯示器大多只能彎折，無法被緊密地卷起來、又不讓顯示器材料受損。

 “我們?cè)趯?shí)驗(yàn)室里已經(jīng)能讓軟性顯示器彎折1萬5,000次、而且其性能不會(huì)衰減，但如果要制作能夠讓消費(fèi)者卷起來、且頻繁使用的顯示器裝置，還需要更強(qiáng)韌的設(shè)計(jì)。”程章林表示。臺(tái)灣工研院的軟性顯示器技術(shù)已經(jīng)授權(quán)給面板大廠友達(dá)(AUO)，后者準(zhǔn)備為預(yù)定2011年推出的明基(BenQ)電子書閱讀器供應(yīng)顯示器；而該種顯示器將在友達(dá)現(xiàn)有的3.5代液晶面板廠生產(chǎn)。

 程章林指出，其他競(jìng)爭(zhēng)廠商包括Polymer Vision與Plastic Logic所采用的有機(jī)材料軟性顯示器，需要以低溫制程生產(chǎn)，臺(tái)灣工研院的軟性顯示器則在彩度與對(duì)比性能上，號(hào)稱能達(dá)到與傳統(tǒng)相同尺寸的TFT LCD顯示器相同水平：“這能為設(shè)計(jì)者開啟設(shè)計(jì)一系列新型玩具、醫(yī)療感測(cè)裝置或是其他產(chǎn)品的新思維。”

 他指出，利用新技術(shù)，工程師能開發(fā)出模仿紙張?zhí)匦缘碾娮语@示器，例如能纏繞在手臂或是腿部的便攜式X光顯示器。而雖然理想中的卷軸式顯示器還需要至少五年的時(shí)間才能問世，臺(tái)灣工研院目前已著手研發(fā)采用其可彎折顯示器技術(shù)的OLED顯示器與觸控屏幕。

 目前臺(tái)灣工研院正與友達(dá)合作，試圖找到一種能讓OLED隔絕氧氣與濕氣的塑料材料；此外臺(tái)灣工研院也與一家不透露名稱的觸控屏幕技術(shù)供貨商合作，正在開發(fā)觸控版本的軟性TFT LCD顯示器，預(yù)計(jì)產(chǎn)品將在一至兩年后問世。

工研院的可彎折軟性顯示器。

Researcher: Rollable displays unfold in 2015

 Rick Merritt

 Rollable color displays could become available as early as 2015, according to a leading researcher in the field. The displays are expected to enable a new class of mobile products.

 That's the rough estimate of Janglin Chen, general director of the display technology center at Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute. ITRI's flexible display beat more than 590 submissions to win a gold innovation award sponsored by Dow Jones this week.

 Researchers like Chen are still looking for a mechanism that would let consumers roll a smartphone- or tablet-sized display in and out of a system the size of a fat crayon. Today's flexible displays are bendable but cannot be rolled so tightly or often without damaging the materials.

 "For bending, we can do this 15,000 times in the lab without deterioration of the screen's performance, but to make a device that's rollable by consumers who are more abusive requires a more sturdy design," said Chen who demonstrated a prototype in a video interview.

 ITRI has licensed its technology to Taiwan's AU Optronics which is preparing to make displays that will appear in e-readers from BenQ in 2011. The displays will be built in an existing Generation 3.5 LCD fab.

 The technology uses a plastic material that can withstand the high temperatures of TFT LCD processes. The approach requires two new manufacturing steps—a coating at the beginning and a de-bonding at the end. ITRI has licensed its technology to a Taiwan equipment maker who is creating the manufacturing equipment.

 Competing approaches from companies such as Polymer Vision and Plastic Logic use an organic material that requires low temperature manufacturing techniques, said Chen. ITRI's displays have the same color and contrast capabilities as similar sized conventional TFT LCDs.

 "This opens up the mindset for the designer for new kinds of toys, medical sensors or other products," said Chen.

 Engineers could use the technology to develop electronic displays that mimic the features of paper. For example, designers could build a portable x-ray display that could be wrapped around an arm or leg, he said.

 Although rollable displays are still at least five years off, ITRI is working on versions of its current bendable technology for Organic LED displays and touch screens.

 ITRI researchers are working with AU Optronics trying to find a plastic material that could protect OLEDs from oxygen and moisture. Separately, ITRI is working with an unnamed touch-screen technology provider on a touch-screen version of the TFT LCD flexible display with products expected in one to two years.