Sharp unveils 7″ tablet screen with backlight in three colors

Screen manufacturer Sharp has shown a prototype of a 7″ display panel at CES based on mems-igzo technology. This technique should enable a larger color gamut compared to LCD and at the same time reduce power consumption.

The screen, which Sharp developed together with the company Pixtronics, consists of a triple backlight that can emit red, green and blue light. In front of each pixel is a small mems shutter. This is a miniscule plate with narrow slots, which can be quickly slid back and forth. By synchronizing the control of the different backlight colors with this, the screen can mix colors and therefore show color tones.

Because the light from the backlight does not have to pass through a color filter, it is possible, according to Sharp, to display a wider color gamut than with normal LCDs. That is up to 120 percent of the NTSC color space, claims the manufacturer. In addition, the brightness should be higher than with TFT LCDs and the screens should also reflect less.

Another advantage over LCDs is the versatility of the controls, says Sharp. By slowing down the speed of the mems shutter, it should be possible to drastically reduce power consumption. This would be accompanied by a reduction of the color palette. It is also possible to generate a monochrome image, which, according to Sharp, ensures a further decrease in power consumption.

The screen shown at CES is a prototype and Sharp itself has no plans to integrate it into a real product. The manufacturer hopes to conclude contracts for screen deliveries to other manufacturers, but does not want to say whether companies have already shown interest.