Advanced alternative to touchscreen on the cards

Scientists are developing a new touchscreen technology that may lead to extremely small patterns (pixels) for high definition LCD displays such as smartphones and next generation of TV and computer screens.

Physicists at the University of Sussex in the UK are at an advanced stage of the alternative touchscreen technology to overcome the shortfall in the traditional display, phone and tablet material that relies on electrodes made from indium tin oxide (ITO).

They have now shown that not only is the material suitable for touchscreens, but that it is possible to produce extremely small patterns (pixels), small enough for high definition LCD displays, such as smartphones and the next generation of television and computer screens. The study, led by Professor Alan Dalton, investigated some of the intricacies of patterning silver nanowire films to produce detailed electrode structures.

Previous research by Dalton’s group has shown that silver nanowires not only match the transmittances and conductivities of ITO films but exceed them. This makes the material very attractive for touch screens. However, the group has now shown, for the first time, that this type of nanomaterial is compatible with more demanding applications such as LCD and OLED displays.

“Display technologies such as LCD and OLED form images using pixels. Each pixel of these displays is further broken down into subpixels; typically, one each for red, green and blue colours,” Dalton said.