Sharp Microelectronics expands TFT-LCD line with new 100-nit 3.5-inch module

Camas, Wash. – August 12, 2003 – Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas today announces it has expanded its full-color Advanced-TFT LCD (AD-TFT) line with the introduction of a new 3.5-inch Transflective TFT-LCD display with 100 cd/m² of brightness. Incorporating SHARP’s proprietary Advanced-TFT LCD technology, the module offers enhanced viewability for use in full sunlight as well as complete darkness.

The 3.5-inch QVGA LCD display module (LQ035Q7DH01) is designed to meet the increasing requirements of design engineers for displays with optimized viewability under a wide range of lighting conditions, as well as ultra-low power consumption. These features are crucial for next-generation handheld products, such as GPS/navigation devices, PDAs, gaming, barcode scanners, and test and measurement equipment.

SHARP is expanding its AD-TFT LCD product line to meet the expected demand for full-color LCD displays in handheld products. According to iSuppli/Stanford Resources, in the PDA arena, the number of handheld devices equipped with color displays is expected to rise to 72 percent by 2006, with most of the growth in color displays in the PDA market forecast to come from high-end, multimedia-capable PDAs that support QVGA formats.

“As features and functionality in handheld products have improved, display requirements have changed to include greater color performance and increased power efficiency,” said Joel Pollack, Vice President of the Display Business Unit at Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas. “SHARP’s new 3.5-inch LCD display with 100 nits of brightness meets the needs of design engineers for a display that can vividly show graphic images and alphanumeric data under a wide range of lighting conditions, making it ideal for GPS systems, PDAs and other handheld applications.”

The AD-TFT LCD display (LQ035Q7DH01) features 100 cd/m² of brightness, 262,144 colors, < 365 mW Power Consumption, 100:1 contrast ratio in transmissive mode, and an operating temperature of –10° to +70°C. Including the LED backlight system, the display module has a thickness of only 4.0 mm and weighs approximately 45 grams. In addition, by eliminating the need for an inverter, associated electromagnetic interference (EMI) issues are essentially eliminated.

Mechanical Specifications
Screen Size: 3.52-inch diagonal
Dimensions: 65.0 mm (W) x 86.2 mm (H) x 4.0 mm (D)
Panel Mode: Transflective
Pixel Format: 240 x RGB x 320
Aspect Ratio: 3:4
Brightness: 100 cd/m²
Contrast Ratio: 100:1 in transmissive mode
Colors: 6-bit (262,144 colors)
Power Consumption: < 365 mW
Weight: » 45 grams typ.
Response time: < 30 ms typ.
Touch Panel: Glass

Price and Availability
The LQ035Q7DH01 is available now at $145 in 50-piece quantities.

About Advanced-TFT LCD Technology
Reflective LCDs offer bright, high-contrast images in outdoor or other high ambient light conditions, but require more than ambient illumination for indoor or other low-light conditions. An Advanced-TFT LCD addresses this problem by combining reflective LCD technology with back-lit transmissive LCD technology. For indoor or low-light conditions, the AD-TFT LCD behaves like a low-power transmissive LCD. Unlike competitive transflective displays, SHARP’s AD-TFT LCD maximizes the transmissivity and contrast ratio between both reflective and transmissive modes and is essentially unchanged in color rendering whether viewed indoors or outside. SHARP currently has
3.5-inch 50-nit, 6.5-inch, 8.8-inch and 10.4-inch AD-TFT LCD products in mass production.

About Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas
Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas, Camas, Washington, is a U.S.-based company and a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, which is a subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, Osaka, Japan. SHARP is a worldwide developer of core digital technologies that are playing an integral role in shaping the next generation of electronic products for consumer and business needs. Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas offers breakthrough memory, LCD, opto, CCD, RF/IR, Microcontroller and System-on-Chip components, along with packaging and integration skills that help design engineers throughout North and South America bring their ambitious ideas to market. Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas is dedicated to improving people’s lives through the use of advanced technology and a commitment to innovation, quality, value and design. For more information, call 1-800-642-0261 or visit www.sharpsma.com.

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Media contact:
Marion Margiotta
Young & Roehr Group
503-222-0626 Ext. 715
mmargiotta@young-roehr.com