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Electronic paper:Overview

Following the invention of e-book readers and electronic dictionaries, the display technology market lately saw the introduction and promotion of "electronic paper" as the newest groundbreaking development in displaying graphics or text. A clear definition of electronic paper is not easy; however it can be said that the advantages both of normal paper and other display technologies are taken and combined into one extraordinary technological solution.
The following describe the basic requirements and features of electronic paper that guarantee customer satisfaction and a successful marketing.

• comfortable readability and good contrast ratio
• thickness similar to normal paper
• easy to carry (i.e. in a portable device)
• long run-time because of low power consumption (electric power is only needed to change the display content)
• active display even without power supply

Basic principle of electronic paper

So how are these features realized in reality? Looking at the basic principles can help explaining this.
Just like in a liquid crystal display (LCD), a fluid containing certain particles is inserted between two glass substrates. If an electric field is applied to the electrodes on the glass substrates, the charged particles in the fluid change their orientation or position. By this, a certain image pattern can be displayed.

Electronic paper and screen-printing

To save time and costs, many production steps durint the manufacturing of electronic paper can be automated, i.e. with screen-printing.
Especially Micro-tec screen-printing machines are highly useful for processing large substrate quantities while combining high precision with best production results: regardless of paste type and viscosity, printing pattern, substrate type and general printing process, Micro-tec screen-printers can help you achieve a stable automated production process (i.e. in connection with the electrophoresis technique used in electronic paper.)
Exemplary applications for screen-printing are indicated in red in the following illustrations.

The following machines are recommended for screen-printing of electronic paper. They were especially designed for highest precision, compact footprint, high through-put rates and easy usability.

Micro-tec screen printers for this application	Other applications

• MT-320 series
• MT-550 series
• Printers for LCD
• Automatic Reel to Reel Film Screen Printer

• LTCC
• MLCC
• Film Device
• Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell
• Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell
• Fuel Cell
• Touch Panel
• Semiconductor