Diverse touchscreen technologies drive industry transition

September 5, 2011 — Displaybank released "Capacitive Touch Panel Technology by Structure & Process Analysis," a research report on capacitive touch panel technology, structures and manufacturing processes. Trends include larger sizes with a narrow or white bezel, capacitive touch panels without separate touch sensors, and a move away from film-based and single-layer glass-based panels.
 
Tablets and smartphones are driving enormous demand for touch panel displays, particularly projected capacitive (PROCAP) style panels.

Technical issues and a lack of cooperation could restrain touchscreen growth. Companies have several solutions for PROCAP touch panel structures (Figure 1), and each technology will need to develop for company differentiation.

Figure 1. Diversified composition of PROCAP touch panel technology. Source: Displaybank, Taiwan Touch Panel Industry and Competition Analysis, KDC 2011.

Capacitive touch panel is progressing toward cover window integrated touch, which does not require separate touch sensor. This structure is known as G2 (or DPW, TOC) and it offers improved optical and touch performance. Improved productivity and yield will lower the cost of this technology, and many current touchscreen makers are actively engaging G2 processes.

Figure 2. Structural comparison of PROCAP touch panel technology. Source: Displaybank, Capacitive Touch Panel Technology by Structure & Process Analysis, June 2011.

The touchscreen display industry is moving from film-based (GFF) or glass-based (GG) to G1F, G2, GF2, and glass-based multi-layer structure, AMOLED On-cell technology. The advantages of GFF are low capital cost, suitable for small quantity batch production, and light structure. GG is suitable for mass production and has better appearance properties, but it has high investment costs and is heavier than film-based panels. In past, the structure was fixed as GG or GFF but now new technologies such as G1F, G2, and AMOLED On-cell are gradually gaining share.

Displaybank’s Touch Panel Industry Report/Consulting Service covers Touch Panel Market and Industry, Technology, Patent Analysis and Product Structure Analysis. Learn more at www.displaybank.com.

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