Roll-to-roll methods and equipment to manufacture a bistable flexible electronic display have been developed. Displays produced with these processes are low-cost, thin, flexible, passively driven, and retain an image without an applied electric field. Using continuous coating techniques and equipment, an aqueous cholesteric liquid-crystal dispersion and a dark layer are deposited onto laser-etched patterned transparent conductors on a polymeric web. Second conductors are printed with a UV-curable polymer thick film ink over the active display layers, followed by slitting and chopping to complete the manufacture of display media in a full roll-to-roll process. Simple seven-segment and matrix displays can be generated using these techniques. This paper will focus on the manufacturing considerations for producing matrix display media.
Abstract— Roll‐to‐roll methods and equipment to manufacture a bistable, passively driven display media on a flexible substrate have been developed. Using continuous coating techniques and equipment, cholesteric liquid‐crystal droplets in a gelatin binder and a dark layer are simultaneously coated onto laser‐etched‐patterned transparent ITO conductors on a polymeric web. Second conductors are printed with a UV‐curable polymer thick‐film ink over the active display layers, followed by slitting and chopping to complete the manufacture of display media in a full roll‐to‐roll mode. Segmented‐ and matrix‐display media can be generated using these techniques. This paper will focus on the manufacturing considerations for producing matrix‐display media.
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