Grant: Idea to Innovation

The capability to simplify and integrate thin-film driver electronics directly onto the backplane of display and sensor array enables large-area electronics that are simpler to fabricate and provides a pathway towards mechanically flexible systems. For example, the popularity of 4K TVs and retina displays on phones and laptops require four times greater pixel density than conventional displays, increasing the demand on peripheral driver circuits. Accommodating four times as many drivers is a major challenge that 4K display manufacturers face. It is also becoming increasingly difficult to allocate space for an increasing number of connecting pads and the corresponding drivers required for each row and column in a backplane array. Similarly, for high-resolution image sensors, the need to address a high number of pixels complicates the electronic backplane design and fabrication cost for medical diagnostics. The emerging flexible electronics technology also promises mechanical flexibility at low cost but is encumbered by rigid and high-cost CMOS drivers used to address an array of pixels.The proposed project will build upon recently developed thin-film transistor logic circuitry to enhance the power, energy efficiency and reduce cost of thin-film transistor (TFTs) display backplane. The proposed implementation of de-multiplexers has the potential to reduce the number of row select pads and associated drivers by 50%, therefore significantly reducing display cost, weight while increasing energy efficiency. The carried out market research in 2016 by a third party substantiates and supports our initial assessment of the potential of the technology.