Itron, the Great Yarmouth-based manufacturer of vacuum fluorescent displays, has developed its first colour display.
Vacuum fluorescent displays (VFDs) are traditionally small area monochrome character displays which are used in consumer goods and cars where their high reliability and brightness is important.
The first VFDs with colour elements of red and blue could potentially open up new markets for the technology as it competes with lower cost LCD products.
“We already have the controller IC and the first colour VFDs from a UK-based supplier will be available in the fourth quarter,” Andy Stubbings, managing director of Itron UK told Electronics Weekly.
“Colour opens up new markets for high-end displays. The intention is to offer a drop-in replacement for the classic two by 20 character VFD,” said Stubbings.
Colour VFDs require fluorescent areas which are larger in size compared to traditional monochrome VFDs. According to Stubbings, the design change which has made colour viable is a reduction in track widths between active areas of the display which makes the fluorescent areas larger.
According to Stubbings, the automotive manufacturers in Europe are a target market for colour VFDs. “The first colour displays have already been supplied to automotive customers in Japan,” said Stubbings.
VFDs are inherently emissive and although typically more expensive than LCDs can be brighter and more reliable. VFDs are typically specified to operate from -40 to +85˚C.
Itron, part of Noritake Itron, is the Japanese company’s only design and manufacturing activity in Europe. It has played a part in developing VFDs for new markets and has increased the level of integration by using chip-on-glass techniques for the drive circuitry to bring the size and the number of connections down.