New Business in LCD Displays, New Displays, and Display DevicesSharp Display Technology Corporation (SDTC)Bases:Kameyama City, Mie; Taki-cho, Mie; Tenri City, Nara; Hakusan City, Ishikawa, etc.
Sharp Display Technology Corporation (SDTC) started business as a new spin-off company from the Sharp Corporation’s display device business on October 1, 2020.
In response to the diverse needs of global users, we develop, produce, and market state-of-the-art displays of all sizes and for a variety of applications. These include smartphones, tablets, PCs, in-vehicle devices, and TVs.
The history of Sharp’s LCD displays dates back to 1973 when we created the first electronic calculator to be fitted with an LCD display, and in the many years since, we have contributed to the creation of countless new products that enrich people’s everyday lives. Going forward, we aim to create more new products and to further expand our business by continuing to innovate in new genres.
01
IGZO technology
IGZO is an oxide semiconductor composed of indium, gallium, zinc, and oxygen, and is utilized with display drive circuits to realize high-performance displays with superior detail (vivid image display), fast running speeds (smooth video display), reduced power consumption, and more. In 2012, Sharp was the first company in the world to begin mass production of an LCD display using IGZO as its drive circuit. Since then, we have worked on the creation of high-performance displays for a wide range of applications—including laptops—while continuing to evolve our IGZO technology. As well as improving the performance of existing displays, IGZO technology is contributing to the creation of impressive and distinctive displays such as our Free-Form Display, which can be flexibly designed to suit user requirements, and our See-Through Display, which can display color video on a transparent glass screen.
*The mass production of IGZO LCD displays has been made possible thanks to joint development with Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
02
Reflective displays
Conventional LCD displays use white LED backlight to display images and video, but here at SDTC, we are developing and commercializing reflective displays that use ambient light as their light source. Since these reflective displays do not need backlight, they achieve ultra-low power consumption. Another one of their strengths is that they are highly visible even when viewed outside, so their utilization is anticipated in exterior signage (at bus stops, etc.), ePosters, and more.
03
In-vehicle displays
In the automotive sector, the switch to LCD displays from conventional mechanical dashboards is progressing, and with the popularization of EVs, there is expected to be an increasing need for such displays in the future. At SDTC, as well as displays that provide high resolution and low power consumption, we are working on the development of a variety of in-vehicle displays, such as those with a built-in camera that monitors the driver’s condition, to improve safety.
04
Taking on the challenge of new sectors
SDTC has received numerous awards for the display-related technologies we have cultivated over many years and for the products in which those technologies are utilized. In recent years, one of our goals has been the further evolution of such displays through research and development for a next-generation display called nano LED. Furthermore, we are actively working on new sectors that are not restricted by existing display categorizations. For example, we are developing our AI Olfactory Sensor, which achieves high accuracy at a low cost by combining AI with Sharp’s specialized display substrate technology.
