STMicroelectronics joins CDT in display drive

STMicroelectronics and Cambridge Display Technology (CDT) have signed an agreement to develop driver devices for LEP displays.

STMicroelectronics and Cambridge Display Technology (CDT) have signed an agreement to develop driver devices for LEP displays.

Under the terms of the agreement, CDT has licensed to STMicroelectronics (ST) full details related to the electrical performance characteristics and materials interface requirements of LEPs for the design and development of display driver devices that will be offered to LEP display manufacturers.

ST and CDT will also evaluate display driver performance on test displays fabricated on CDT's new pilot technology development line in Godmanchester, UK.

Joint marketing activities between the companies are planned to promote ST products developed under the agreement.

The goal of CDT and ST is to bring to the market a family of power-optimised and low-cost LEP drivers for portable electronics products including PDAs, mobile phones and new generation multimedia terminals.

The first display IC devices will be dedicated to monochrome displays and are planned for introduction in Q3 2002.

Additional plans include full colour drivers for introduction by mid-2003 to coincide with the anticipated market entry of full colour LEP displays using inkjet printing manufacturing technology.

Co-operation between the two companies has already started and will combine the expertise of CDT in LEP technology with ST's know-how of displays in general, and drivers ICs in particular, in addition to ST's expertise in leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing.

ST's technology portfolio includes its proprietary BCD (bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) process, which will be used in the manufacturing of these jointly developed driver ICs.

"LEP drivers will be a new addition to ST's family of imaging products, which includes CMOS image sensors, and LCD, CRT, and PDP display processors and drivers.

Cellular phones are one of the biggest potential markets for LEP displays, and ST's expertise in the imaging chain, ranging from image capture to display, will allows us to optimise it by aiming at 'best in class' performance, quality and minimum cost by minimising overheads across the complete application", said Jean-Pierre Lusinchi, Group Vice President, General Manager of Imaging and Display Division of STMicroelectronics.

"CDT is pleased to work with a company with STMicroelectronics' record of technical innovation in semiconductor devices", stated David Fyfe, CEO of CDT.

"The outcome of our joint efforts will deliver a critical part of the technology solutions that CDT is committed to providing to our licensees and partners".

"The importance of display drivers to the performance of flat panel displays (FPD) of all types cannot be over estimated", explained Jeremy Burroughes, CDT's CTO.

"Previous FPD technologies have suffered from a lack of sophisticated divers to deliver optimum display performance, resulting in market entry delay and lost opportunity.

CDT's position at the centre of LEP development allows us to help define the driver road map and speed the commercialisation of these critical components".

Back to top