EL lamps aid handset miniaturisation

Increasing numbers of Durel DFLX EL lamps and drivers are being designed into new cellphones, as mobile phone manufacturers place greater and greater emphasis on reducing size and weight.

Rogers Corporation reports that increasing numbers of its Durel DFLX electroluminescent (EL) lamps and drivers are being designed into new cellphones, as mobile phone manufacturers place greater and greater emphasis on reducing the size and weight of their handsets.

Rogers Durel DFLX lamps, the latest in EL technology, offer designers the ultimate in design versatility for low-cost, uniform keypad lighting, including the ability to provide many types of decorative lighting.

DFLX lamps are very thin (0.1mm) as well as flexible because of the absence of the polyester film associated with conventional EL lamps.

These versatile EL lamps are used in mobile phones, smartphones, PDAs, remote controls and other electronic devices with keypads.

The uniform lighting characteristics of DFLX lamps enable designers to achieve best-in-class illumination in the keypad as well as super-slim size.

Motorola is the pioneer of the "super slim" phone, and the Motorola RAZR V3 has been a resounding success.

Rogers DFLX EL lamps provide the "cool blue" electroluminescent lighting that backlights the V3's precision cut, chemically etched keypad.

Rogers DFLX EL lamps also backlight the keypad in Motorola's elegant new PEBL handset.

The distinctive keypad in the PEBL handset uses a white Durel DFLX lamp to create its bright "cool white" glow.

The thin profile of DFLX lamps fits easily between the keypad and the metal dome array stackup.

This enables designers to place light directly under each key without affecting the tactile feel of the key actuations.

While the thin form factor and supple rubber composition of the lamps feel like a thin coat of latex paint, they maintain durability.

Lamps have been subjected to over one million actuations in keypad applications with no degradation.

DFLX EL lamps can be folded, flexed, and pierced while maintaining complete functionality - allowing design concepts previously unachievable.

"The big difference", states Mike Bessette, Vice President of Rogers Durel Division: "is that in traditional lighting methods, such as LEDs, designers must place the light somewhere around or between the keys".

"With DFLX lamps, they get bright light just where it is needed - under the keys".

Powered by a small IC driver, DFLX lamps use very low current and generate virtually no heat.

In addition to DFLX lamps, Rogers provides a broad range of high-power keypad EL drivers as part of its EL lamp and EL driver high-performance, matched-system solution approach.

Rogers drivers are sold either in combination with its EL lamps or separately.

Rogers' keypad drivers use its patented three-port (3P) topology for reduction of audible and electrical noise.

This enables engineers to design the brightest keypad lamps, while maintaining a small footprint and maximising energy efficiency.

Rogers EL drivers are RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and WEEE (Waste of Electric and Electronic Equipment) compliant.

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