Sharp announced the expanded lineup of industrial displays at the 2006 Society for Information Display 2006 International Symposium Seminar and Exhibition (SID). The displays include the 3.7-inch CG-Silicon display (LS037V7DW01), the 5.7-inch amorphous silicon transmissive TFT display (LQ057Q3DC12), as well as the 3.5-inch (LQ035Q7DH06) and 4.3-inch (LQ043T3DX02) Advanced Super View (AD-TFT) displays, all optimized for handheld and portable devices that can be used in a wider range of environments.

Touting greater design flexibility with multi-resolution/multi-color functionality, the 3.7-inch CG-Silicon TFT-LCD module (LS037V7DW01) can switch to drive QVGA or VGA resolutions. This Advanced TFT (AD-TFT) Transflective display also allows the designer to choose between a 262,144 color (6-bit RGB) or 8-color (RGB) mode.

Incorporating Sharp's proprietary CG-Silicon LCD technology, this 3.7-inch panel provides advantages not offered by other manufacturers, according to the company. CG-Silicon integrates all the circuitry needed to drive and operate a display onto the glass substrate itself, and by removing external circuits bonded to the display, it results in smaller thinner, stronger, and more energy efficient displays. Key characteristics include a 4-percent reflection ratio, 200:1 contrast ratio, 165 cd/m2 of brightness, a 4.4-mm profile, and an operating temperature range of -10°C to 60°C. Suitable for indoor and outdoor applications, the display also includes an integrated touch screen.

For mobile designs that require a larger screen, the 5.7-inch amorphous silicon transmissive TFT display (LQ057Q3DC12) features a 240 x 320 pixel format, 500 cd/m2 of brightness, and a -10°C to 70°C operating temperature. Its low reflection and high color saturation make it a good choice for medical or retail/point-of-sale applications.

Sharp also offers 3.5-inch and 4.3-inch Advanced Super View (AD-TFT) displays that feature greater light output, high contrast, and a thin profile for advanced handheld products. The 3.5-inch AD-TFT (LQ035Q7DH06) display comes in a 240 x 320 pixel format, and features 225 cd/m2 of brightness from six high-efficiency white LED backlights. Other features include a 80:1 contrast ratio in Transmissive mode, and an operating temperature of -10°C to 70°C.

Designed specifically for applications that call for a landscape orientation, the 4.3-inch amorphous silicon digital display (LQ043T3DX02) features a 16:9 aspect ratio, a 480 x 272 pixel format, 400:1 contrast ratio, and an operating temperature of -10°C to 50°C. Using Sharp's proprietary Advanced Super View technology, the display offers a 160-degree symmetrical viewing angle so images can be viewed from any angle without color reversal or sacrifices in contrast. The low-reflective black screen yields higher contrast and excellent black level uniformity, according to the company.

Applications include handheld GPS systems, test and measurement equipment, portable patient monitoring, gaming, signage, and point-of-sale, as well as portable media players, and any application that requires greater on-screen performance.

The 3.5-, 3.7-, 4.3-, and 5.7-inch displays are available now. The 3.5-inch AD-TFT is priced at $150; the 3.7-inch CG-Silicon at $180, the 4.3-inch ASV at $160 and the 5.7-inch aSi Transmissive at $299, all in single piece quantities.

Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas, 1-800-642-0261, www.sharpsma.com