Integrating electronics into active matrix liquid crystal displays

Active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCDs) incorporate a nonlinear device at each pixel site to produce a display that exhibits superior viewing characteristics. Transistors and diodes are the nonlinear elements most commonly used and fabrication is accomplished with a variety of technologies. The very existence of transistors in the pixel array prompts the question: can additional electronics be economically integrated into the display? The intuitive answer, based on batch processing considerations, is yes, with confirmation to be found in the realm of available products and development results. This paper briefly reviews specific advantages of including electronics in a display. A more in-depth discussion then follows describing functions to integrate and stressing issues that arise when implementing circuits with display-quality transistors.