EIT week39-1 Electroluminescent Displays

Electroluminescent Displays

Overview

• Course: Engineering Interaction Technologies
• Professor: Michael Wessely, Interactive Matter Lab

Key Concepts of Electroluminescent (EL) Displays

• Definition: Electroluminescent displays use a material that emits light in response to an electric current or a strong electric field.
• Components:
  • Electrode 1: Conductive Indium Tin Oxide (ITO)
  • Phosphor Layer: Glows when excited by an electric field
  • Dielectric Layer: Insulates the electrodes to prevent short-circuits
  • Electrode 2: Conductive copper

Fabrication Techniques

• Lab 9 Focus: Spraying of EL displays, highlighting methods to apply layers and shape the phosphor for custom designs.
• Material Handling: Techniques for shaping ITO or copper layers to determine the glowing areas of the display.

Types of EL Displays

• Area Display: Basic type where large areas glow to form a uniform backlight or specific shapes.
• Segment Display: Composed of multiple smaller, individually controlled areas for creating numbers or simple icons.
• Matrix Display: Offers the highest control over shapes by allowing individual control of small segments in a grid, facilitating complex imagery or text.

Advanced EL Display Features

• Rollable and Stretchable Displays: New technologies enabling EL displays to be applied on flexible surfaces that can be bent or stretched.
• Touch Input Integration: Using capacitive sensing to allow EL displays to detect touch inputs, making them interactive. Techniques include multiplexing to alternate between display and touch sensing without user detection.

Interactive Features

• Smart Integration: Incorporates capacitive touch sensing directly into the display, which allows for interactive applications, adjusting content dynamically based on user interaction.

Challenges and Innovations

• Customization Challenges: How to effectively customize the shape and functionality of EL materials using techniques like spraying.
• Potential Innovations: Exploring roll-to-roll processes and other industrial techniques to streamline production and enhance the functional integration of EL displays.

Educational Insights

• Practical Sessions: Hands-on labs that involve creating and manipulating EL displays to understand their properties and applications better.
• Discussion Points: Debates on the feasibility and effectiveness of current EL technology in real-world applications, touching on aspects like durability, energy efficiency, and integration complexity.