If you’ve ever had a chance to work on a desktop computer with two monitors attached, you know that the arrangement can be a real productivity-booster. Now, imagine the same concept applied to a mobile device.

 

This is precisely the concept behind Samsung (News - Alert) Electronics Co., Ltd.’s, newest product-in-development, announced Wednesday. The company is creating a mobile, thin-film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) screen capable of displaying independent images on each side.

 

In its announcement, Samsung explained that conventional double-sided LCDs are capable only of showing reverse images of video data. The company expects that the new screen, slated to enter mass production during the first half of 2007, will make it possible to reduce the thickness of mobile devices by at least 1 mm.

 

Yun Jin-hyuk, executive vice president of Samsung’s mobile display division, commented in a statement that development of the new LCD “underscores Samsung’s commitment to equip our customers with advanced display technology that accelerates the trend toward slimmer mobile products.”

 

Samsung’s recently developed double-gate, thin-film transistor architecture makes the double-sided LCD possible.

 

“TFT gates are electronic components that convert the necessary voltage at the pixel level, which controls the liquid crystal alignment needed to reproduce on-screen images,” Samsung explained in its announcement.”  The new LCD uses two gates to operate each pixel instead of one, “so the screen on the front can display different images than the one on the back.”

 

Typically, physical size increases are involved when more TFT gates are used, Samsung added, but the company’s proprietary Amorphous Silicon Gate (ASG) technology eliminates that problem. Potential physical size increases also are avoided by using a single backlight, thanks to a reflective design.

 

Just how small is the new LCD? Try 2.6mm (1/10 inch) thick and 2.22 inches wide. It will be on display at Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week.

 

========================================================================================
Interested in learning more about the latest communications technology? Visit INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & Expo East, January 23-26, 2007 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
========================================================================================