Alternatives to low-temperature poly-Si technology in active matrix displays

Incorporating low temperature poly-Si (LTPS) technology as an active matrix (AM) in flat panel displays (FPDs) has been a struggle and remains costly. The situation motivates companies to investigate alternative AM technologies. Some projects try to relieve the low temperature constraint by switching the substrate material to a metal foil. Some companies try simply to make the most out of a-Si:H technology. Another strategy is to replace silicons as the TFT channel material. Examples include CdSe and even an organic material like pentacene. When crystalline silicon is considered best, engineers consider how to replace excimer laser annealing (ELA) and its cost. A prominent example is the effort at MIT, which printed devices with a kind of 'semiconductor ink'. The best prospects for inexpensive AM backplanes may be plastic transistors and c-Si block assembly. Current leaders of AM technology, a-Si:H and ELA- LTPS, might still end up offering better overall performance, but their costs will probably be higher.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.