WHAT IS LED?

Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) consist of liquid crystals that are activated by electric
current. They are used most frequently to display one or more lines of alphanumeric information in a variety of devices: fax machines, laptop computer screens,
answering machine call counters, scientific instruments, portable compact disc
players, clocks, and so forth. The most expensive and advanced typeactive
matrix displaysare even being used as screens for handheld color TVs. Eventually,
they may be widely used for large screen, high-definition TVs.
The basis of LCD technology is the liquid crystal, a substance made of complicated
molecules. Like water, liquid crystals are solid at low temperatures. Also like water,
they melt as you heat them. But when ice melts, it changes into a clear, easily
flowing liquid. Liquid crystals, however, change into a cloudy liquid very different
from liquids like water, alcohol, or cooking oil. At slightly higher temperatures, the
cloudiness disappears, and they look much like any other liquid.
When the liquid crystal is a solid, its molecules are lined up parallel to one another.
In the intermediate cloudy phase (liquid), the molecules still retain this more or less
parallel orientation. As in any liquid, the molecules are free to move around, but
they tend to "line up" in one direction, reflecting light and causing a cloudy
appearance. Higher temperatures tend to agitate the molecules and thus make the
liquid clear.
In an LCD, an electric current is used to switch segments of liquid crystals from a
transparent phase to a cloudy phase, each segment forming part of a number or
letter. The segments can also be in the shape of tiny dots or pixels, and the can be
arranged in rows and columns. They are turned on and off individually to either
block or allow polarized light to pass through. When the light is blocked, a dark spot
is created on the reflecting screen.
There are two general types of LCDs: passive matrix, and the newer active matrix
(AMLCDs). Brighter and easier to read, active matrix displays use transistors behind
each pixel to boost the image. The manufacturing process for AMLCDs, however, is
much trickier than that for passive matrix LCDs. As many as 50 percent of those

made must now be thrown out because of imperfections. One imperfection is

enough to ruin an AMLCD. This makes them very expensive to manufacture.

Raw Materials
A working LCD consists of several components: display glass, drive electronics,
control electronics, mechanical package, and power supply. The display glass
between which the liquid crystals lieis coated with row and column electrodes and
has contact pads to connect drive electronics (electric current) to each row and
column electrode. The drive electronics are integrated circuits that supply current to
"drive" the row and column electrodes. The control electronics are also integrated
circuits. They decode and interpret the incoming signalsfrom a laptop computer,
for exampleand send them to the drive electronics. The mechanical package is
the frame that mounts the printed circuit boards for the drive and control
electronics to the display glass. This package

In all LCDs, the liquid crystal is sandwiched between 2 pieces of glass or transparent
plastic called substrates. If glass is used, it is often coated with silicon dioxide to
improve liquid crystal alignment. Transparent electrode patterns are then made by
applying a layer of indium tin oxide to the glass and using a photolithography or
silkscreening process to produce the pattern.
also strengthens and protects the display glass and anchors the entire display to the
device using the LCD, whether it is a laptop computer, a fax machine, or another
device. Finally, the power supply is an electronic circuit that supplies current to the

LCD. Equipment makers who use LCDs often purchase the power supplies
separately.
In all LCDs, the liquid crystal is sandwiched between two pieces of glass or
transparent plastic called substrates. Just any glass will not do. If the glass has
many sodium or other alkali ions, they can move to the glass surface, combine with
any moisture that is there, and alter the electric field pattern and liquid crystal
alignment. To eliminate that, LCD makers either use borosilicate glass, which has
few ions, or they apply a layer of silicon dioxide to the glass. The silicon dioxide
prevents the ions from touching any moisture. An even simpler solution is to use
plastic instead of glass. Using plastic also makes the display lighter. However,
inexpensive plastics scatter light more than glass, and they may react chemically
with liquid crystal substances.
Most LCDs today also use a source of light coming from the rear of the display
(backlight), such as a fluorescent light, to make the liquid crystal appear darker
against the screen when in its cloudy phase. LCD makers also use sheets of
polarizer material to enhance this effect.

The Manufacturing Process

Making passive matrix LCDs is a multi-step process. The surface and rear glass of
the display is first polished, washed, and coated with silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ). Next, a
layer of indium tin oxide is evaporated onto the glass and etched into the desired
pattern. A layer of long chainpolymer is then applied to allow the liquid crystals to
align properly, followed by a sealing resin. The spacers next are put into place, and
the glass sandwich is filled with the liquid crystal material.

Preparing the glass substrates

1 First, the two glass substrates must be cut to the proper size, polished, and
washed. Cutting can be done with a diamond saw or scribe, while polishing involves
a process called lapping, in which the glass is held against a rotating wheel that
has abrasive particles embedded in it. After being washed and dried, the substrates
are coated with a layer of silicon dioxide.

Making the electrode pattern

2 Next, the transparent electrode pattern must be made on the substrates. This is
done by completely coating both front and rear glass surfaces with a very thin layer
of indium tin oxide. Manufacturers then make a mask of the desired pattern, using

either a silk-screening or photolithography process. They apply the finished mask to

the fully coated glass, and areas of indium tin oxide that are not needed are etched
away chemically.
3 Alternatively, finer definition can be achieved by using glass that has a layer of
etching-resistant, light-sensitive material (called photoresist) above the indium tin
oxide film. A mask with the desired pattern is placed over the glass, and the glass is
bombarded with ultravioletlight. This light causes the resistive layer it shines on to
lose its resistance to etching, allowing the chemicals to eat away both the
exposed photoresist and the indium tin oxide below it, thus forming the pattern. The
unnecessary photoresist that remains can then be removed with other chemicals. A
second variety of resistive film resists etching only after it is exposed to ultraviolet
light; in this case, a negative mask of the pattern must be used. Regardless of which
method is used, the patterns on the two substrates are designed to overlap only in
specific places, a design that ensures that the thin strips of indium tin oxide
conveying voltage to each element have no electrode positioned directly opposite
that might show up while the cell is working.

NAMA:
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TAJUK :

LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY (LCD)

NAMA PENSYARAH :
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