BEAVERTON, Ore. — Planar Systems Inc. announced the company's first QVGA multicolor thin-film electroluminescent (EL) display. Similar to the visual characteristics and "at-a-glance viewability" as Planar's monochrome EL product line, the new EL320.240 FA3 adds color capabilities to the rugged display technology. The multicolor red/green/yellow EL display is designed for transportation, medical, military and industrial applications that require the need to highlight important information in extreme conditions. For example, in the dashboard of an 18-wheel truck, a multicolor EL display can highlight critical information to the driver while handling the vibration and shock of the moving vehicle.
Planar's electroluminescent displays consist of a solid-state glass panel, an electronic control circuit and an integrated power supply. The thin-film EL glass panel contains a luminescent phosphor layer sandwiched between transparent dielectric layers and a matrix of row and column electrodes. A circuit board containing the drive and control electronics is connected to the back of the glass panel. Voltage is applied to the row and column electrodes causing the area of intersection (a pixel) to emit light. The result of this solid-state design is a flat, compact with display with visual appeal, unaffected by extreme temperatures.
