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What is a LCD?
An LCD is a fluidic display device that uses a crystalline filled liquid to manipulate a rear illumination polarized source by means of an electrostatic field between two thin transparent metal conductors such as indium tin oxide (ITO) in order to present an image to the viewer. This process can be used to configure custom ITO pattern as icons, segments or pixelated display devices. Both of these display design configurations can be used with static or multiplex electronic drive schemas.
Types of LCDs
LCDs can be designed for many different applications and different fluid types with each having a different effect on contrast, viewing angle and coloration are:
- TN (Twisted Nematic): – Allows for crystal rotation of the LCD molecules from one plane to the other of 90 degrees or less.
- STN (Super Twisted Nematic): – Allows for crystal rotation of the LCD molecules from one plane to the other of greater than 90 but less than 360 degrees.
- FSTN (Film Compensated STN): – Similar to STN but added film allows for wider viewing angle and higher contrast on black and white displays.
- CSTN (Color STN): – Addition of three separate Red, Green, and Blue color filters to form individual color pixels that produce hues required for a color display.
- LCD structure types: Segmented and pixelated
Applications of LCDs
Since LCDs can be designed to operate under harsh conditions, they can be used in a broad range of applications including blood glucose meters, power meters and automotive gages, gas pumps, phones, cameras, toys, and more.