Double-sided LCD screen breakthrough
claimed
Tom Espiner ZDNet UK
Published: 04 Jan 2007 15:41 GMT
Samsung Electronics claims to have created the first LCD
panel that can produce independent images on both sides of a single
small LCD display.
Samsung said on Thursday that its double-sided LCD can show two
entirely different pictures or sets of visual data simultaneously
on the front and back of the same screen.
This is due to a pixel design that allows separate control of the
liquid crystal on each side of the display, enabling both sides to
display separately. Each pixel is controlled by two gates
transistor elements to which voltage is applied to turn on or off
the circuit that provides the signal needed to drive the LCD.
Normally, one circuit is needed for every pixel to make a single
screen function. Samsung's double-screen LCD has two gates to
control each pixel, allowing the same pixel to be used for two
different screens. One backlight lights both screens, although one
of the screens relies more on external light sources.
The mobile screen is 2.22 inches, and will be used to replace two
display panels with one, which Samsung says will reduce the overall
thickness of mobile products by at least 1mm. For example, one
potential application for the double-sided screen would be in
clamshell mobile phones. Today, they typically contain two
different LCD screens: a smaller screen on the outside for when the
phone is closed and a larger one on the inside, used when the phone
is open. Using a single double-sided LCD screen would allow
manufacturers to shrink the thickness of the handset.
"Our new double-sided mobile display underscores Samsung's
commitment to equip our customers with advanced display technology
that accelerates the trend toward slimmer mobile products,"said Yun
Jin-hyuk, executive vice president of the Samsung Electronics LCD
Business mobile display division, in a statement. "We anticipate
high demand when we commence mass production in the first half of
2007."
Mitsubishi announced a double-sided display screen for mobiles in
February 2004, which used two screens.
Flexible display technology using organic polymers is also an
emerging market, with Plastic Logic announcing on Wednesday that it
will open a factory to make e-paper components in Dresden in
2008.
This image, released by Samsung, attempts to show the
double-sided LCD in action by putting two double-sided screens side
by side one showing the front image and the other the back
image
Cool! This has alot of implications on handphone designs,
laptops, LCD screens, advertisments etc. 
Like, handphones with 2 LCD screens, laptop with better and
larger screens since the 2 screens can combine to form a larger
word. document or game etc.