Tag Archives: transparent conductor

Touch screen with ITO-replacement going to mainstream

June 15, 2016

Touch screen with ITO-replacement is gaining momentum for >50-inch sizes category. We can see this trend at SID 2016 DisplayWeek.

3M showed 55-inch touch table with metal mesh touch screen.

C3Nano demonstrated 55-inch silver nanowire transparent conductor touch display.

Microsoft’s keynote discussed their 55-inch and 84-inch interactive Surface Hub that can sense both finger touch and active pen.

In the ITO Replacement—Non-ITO Transparent Conductor Technologies, Supply Chain and Market Forecast 2016 Report, sixth edition, Touch Display Research analyzed over 240 companies and research institutes working on advanced transparent conductive (TC) materials. The report provides a detailed analysis of metal mesh, silver nanowire, carbon nano tube (CNT), conductive polymer, graphene, and other technologies.

Touch Display Research forecasts that the ITO-replacement market will reach $13 billion by 2023.

Figure: ITO replacement comparison chart

ITO replacement compare with TDR2016

Source: Touch Display Research Inc., ITO-Replacement Report, 2016

The ITO-replacement industry has made good progress in the touch panel and other applications in the past two years. However, not all companies are growing and you need to be very selective. The specifications of over thirty metal mesh suppliers are compared side-by-side in one chart in the Excel database.

We forecast that ITO-replacement will become the major transparent conductor for touch panels after 2021. ITO will be the minor transparent conductor for touch panels.

Thanks for reading,

Dr. Jennifer Colegrove and team

 

 

 

Atmel exits metal mesh

February 9, 2015

On February 4th, 2015, Atmel announced it decided to exit the XSense (Metal mesh type ITO-replacement) business.

It’s sad to see Atmel closing the Xsense fab in Colorado. I actually toured the XSense cleanroom in Colorado fab in November 2013.

As we wrote three months ago, in our “ITO-replacement: non-ITO transparent conductor technology and market forecast report”, 4th edition, “Metal mesh transparent conductor is facing obstacles due to optical and yield issues. Metal mesh manufacturers need to consider new strategies to increase market share.”

Figure. ITO replacement report 4th edition

ITO replacement 4th edition cover

Source: Touch Display Research, November 2014.

This report profiles over 220 companies and research institutes working on advanced transparent conductive (TC) materials and provides a detailed analysis of metal mesh, carbon nano tube (CNT), conductive polymer, silver nanowire, graphene, and other technologies.

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer and team

SID 2014: ITO-replacement and quantum dot are the two biggest trends

June 4, 2014
I’m at the beautiful San Diego, California now for SID 2014 DisplayWeek. The No. 1 trend at this year’s SID is: ITO-replacement. The No. 2 trend is quantum dot. (I’ll blog about quantum dot tomorrow).
Over 10 companies showed ITO-replacement at SID 2014. Some are in the exhibition floor, some showed us through invitation-only meetings.
Canatu showed their Carbon Nano Bud type transparent conductor. It won SID silver award due to its low haze, low reflection, and flexible character. The picture here is the side by side comparison of CNB film with an ITO film.

Figure: Canatu CNB film and ITO film side by side comparison
Canatu SID 2014 TDR
Source: Canatu, photo by Touch Display Research, June 2014.

Another ITO replacement I like at the DisplayWeek is the Cima Nanotech and Amdolla’s 42” projected capacitive touch screen.

Figure 2: Cima Nanotech and Amdolla’s 42” projected capacitive touch screen
Cima 42 inch TDR
Source: Cima Nanotech, photo by Touch Display Research, June 2014.

In the recently published ITO-replacement report, 3rd edition, Touch Display Research profiled over 220 companies and research institutes working on ITO-replacement. Touch Display Research’s survey found that even with some metal mesh companies’ disappointing progress, the overall adoption of ITO-replacement is accelerating. We forecast the ITO-replacement market will grow rapidly from 2014 to 2021.
Thanks for reading,
Jennifer and team