What is E-paper Display？

E-paper technology is actually a collective term for a class of bi-stable display technologies, with the English name E-paper. It is mostly referred to as electrophoresis Display (EPD), which provides a display effect close to natural paper while also being able to continuously switch and refresh display content like our common LCD displays.

Advantages of EPD display:

• Eye-friendly:

      EPD display offers a reading experience very close to that of paper books in visual effects, avoiding the glare of electronic screens and thus reducing reading fatigue.

• High Contrast:

      With high contrast and wide viewing angles similar to paper prints, EPD display provides excellent visibility without blind spots.

• Sunlight Readble:

      The reflectivity and contrast of EPD display are much higher than ordinary LCD displays, allowing it to maintain clear display effects even in sunlight. This feature gives EPD display a significant advantage in outdoor applications.

• Low Energy Consumption:

      EPD displays are very energy-efficient, as it is reflective mode no need backlight. It only consumes power when being refreshed, and the previously displayed image remains visible without power consumption. This low-power characteristic allows EPD display to save power during long-term use.

• Thin & Light:

      EPD display module are thin and light, with a thickness of about 1mm, which is less than half of that of regular LCD display. This makes them easy to carry and use.

• Shatterproof:

      The backplane of EPD display can be applied to various materials, not only TFT glass but also PCB or FPC substrates, with a more robust and durable structure. This makes EPD display module superior to traditional LCD displays in durability.

• Flexibility:

      When EPD display is manufactured on plastic materials such as FPC substrates, it could be flexible display. This feature leads new possibilities for the application such as wearable devices.

Disadvantages of EPD display:

• Slow Refresh Rate:

      Due to electrophoresis technology relying on particle movement, the refresh rate of for EPD display is not fast, up to hundreds of milliseconds, which is insufficient for video applications. Therefore, EPD display is currently mostly used to display static content that does not change frequently.

• Cannot Display Color Content:

      Current EPD display can only display in 2-color of black&white, or 3-color like black/white/red, or black/white/yellow, and cannot display multi-color displays.

• Cannot Bend and Fold:

      Although EPD display with FPC substrates can achieve a certain degree of bending, it cannot yet achieve the complete free bending and folding like traditional paper.

• High Cost:

      The manufacturing process is complexn and high material requirements cause the high cost of EPD display.

Applications:

EPD display combines the visual characteristics of traditional paper with advantages such as low power consumption, thin and light. It is particularly suitable for applications requiring power save and environmental protection or those requiring good display effects under various lighting conditions, such as electronic tags, smart cards, smart homes, wearables, e-book readers, and electronic posters. These are areas that cannot be met by tranditional transmissive LCD and reflective LCD. 

With continuous breakthroughs and innovations in E-paper technology, its performance and application range will continue to expand. In the future, we can expect to see more innovative products and services based on E-paper technology.