Sharp Aquos and LG.Philips LCD Televisions both utilize 3M’s Vikuiti Display Enhancement Films to achieve greater display brightness.

Vikuiti is a 3M brand covering its innovative line of optical technologies. When incorporated into LCD TVs, Vikuiti optical display enhancement films increase brightness, reduce glare and improve durability of the screen. The films can also be used to repair slight surface scratches.

How Enhancement Films Work

The majority of the backlight passing through a liquid crystal display is absorbed before reaching the viewer. Typically only 8 to 10% of an LCD displays backlight output makes it through the LCD displays layers. Half (50%) is lost passing through the polarizer and a further 34% through the color filters.

Vikuiti Dual Brightness Enhancement Films MF1-650 (DBEF/MF1-650) and D550 (DBEF-D550) were developed specifically for application in LCD-TVs. The Vikuiti enhancement display technology recycles light to achieve greater brightness. The Vikuiti films can have hundreds of reflective layers in a sheet less than 1 millimeter thick. Light performace is also improved by optimizing the angle of light toward the viewer (rather than having it dispersed and wasted).

Better light transmission performance also allows manufacturers to reduce the backlighting wattage. Overall brightness enhancement films improve the efficiency of LCD televisions.

New 3M – Nitto Denko Polarizing Film

In December 2005, 3M announced a joint development with Nitto Denko (Baraki, Japan) of a new high-durability, ultra-thin liquid crystal display (LCD) polarizing film half the thickness of existing products. (Source: Business Wire)

The new film is a combination of 3M’s Vikuiti advanced polarizing film and Nitto Denko’s durable, thin polarizer film. Compared with untreated displays, the new product will provide higher brightness and reduced power consumption with no loss in viewing angle. It is expected that the new film will offer improved durability LCD displays for consumer electronics such as cell phones, PDAs and MP3 players.

Nitto Denko, which will manufacture the new display enhancement films products for LCD panel makers by combining 3M’s Vikuiti advanced polarizing film with its own polarizer film.

Further Reading

Our review of the Sony Grand WEGA SXRD Rear Projection HDTV KDS-50A2000 and KDS-55A2000 incorporating Vikuiti display enhancement films.

Our SMART Board 600i Interactive Whiteboard Review covers how another Vikuiti technology (short throw projector optics) has been utilized for Interactive Whiteboards.