Sony has created “Hybrid FPA” (field-induced photo-reactive alignment) technology, a new method that gives faster response time for LCD 3DTVs and other displays. Response times of less than 3ms have been achieved in test cells, which is getting closer to the Plasma/OLED response time of .001ms. Fast LCD’s are already available now, but real pros know that low ms (millisecond) LCD displays are few and far between, especially when 3D and MotionFlow is going.
Hybrid FPA also promises ‘product stability’ during the display panel manufacturing process as well as after long-term use. Further benefits include reducing the manufacturing process and time.
This technology will be presented on December 2nd at IDW ’10 (International Display Workshops), a display technology conference to be held in Fukuoka City, Japan from December 1 to 3. Sony is jointly developing alignment layer materials with JSR Corporation.
Here is more information from Sony:
Sony previously developed the “FPA 1” high-speed liquid crystal response alignment technique based on vertical alignment (VA) liquid crystal modes. One method for improving liquid crystal response time is to generate pre-tilt of the liquid crystal molecules. “FPA” technique uses the alignment layer developed by Sony and maintains pre-tilt of liquid crystal molecules by irradiating UV while applying voltage in manufacturing process. This facilitates the stable and even alignment of the liquid crystal molecules, thus achieving improvements in both liquid crystal response time and the contrast ratio. In addition, this has made it possible to eradicate the Mura (uniformity problem) in the display as well as to eliminate the ‘sticking image’ that can occur after long-term use.
“Hybrid FPA” technology builds on this momentum and has achieved an even faster liquid crystal response time by maintained the pre-tilt on just one side of the substrate alignment layer (see illustration). Furthermore, this new technology has succeeded in facilitating drastic improvements in liquid crystal response time, especially faster movement of liquid crystal molecule when decreasing the voltage which was previously difficult to achieve, as well as higher contrast.
