Flexible Bistable Reflex Displays and Applications (Printed Electronics USA 2013)

1. The Reflex™ display technology, based on cholesteric liquid crystals (ChLC), has inherent reflective color, bistablity, and requires no power to maintain a static image.

2. Several unique display types have been created using the Reflex display technology, such as a pressure induced writing tablet and a switchable color electronic skin display.

3. The writing tablet allows electronic note taking with the user experience and writing feel similar to that of paper and has resulted in a successful consumer product, Boogie Board™.

4. The Reflex display technology is a web manufactured lamination of a polymer matrix containing CLC in between two flexible substrates with roll to roll coated PEDOT/PSS (poly (3,4) ethylenedioxythiophene / polystyrenesulfore acid) conductor.

Dr. Erica Montbach is the Manager for Research and Development at Kent Displays Inc. As Manager for Research and Development, Dr. Montbach is responsible for flexible display development and innovation, including leading multi-disciplinary teams, mentoring, solving key technical problems, and developing new concepts. Additionally, Dr. Montbach has unique experience with web conveyance and roll to roll display products from her previous work with Eastman Kodak. She has 24 technical publications and 14 patents and patent applications in several areas of liquid crystal research. She is a member of the Society for Information Display and the International Society for Optical Engineering. Dr. Montbach has a B.A. in Physics from The College of Wooster, an M.S. in Physics from Colorado State University, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from the Liquid Crystal Institute at Kent State University.

Founded in 1993 as the result of a joint venture between Kent State University and Manning Ventures, Kent Displays, Inc. is a world leader in the research, development and manufacture of Reflex liquid crystal displays for unique, sustainable applications. Our revolutionary Reflex LCDs retain an image without power and offer superior optical characteristics including sunlight-readability and wide viewing angles.

 

Kent Display's roll to roll production lines are located at our headquarters in Kent, Ohio, U.S.A and mass produce Reflex LCDs from rolls of plastic with printed/coated conductor. Web manufactured product has been in the market since 2009 in the form of the Boogie Board™ eWriter LCD. Our unique manufacturing process allows for the flexibility, durability, and exceptional thinness of our plastic displays, combined with no power image retention and superior optical characteristics, results in a versatile, environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional paper and backlit LCDs.