PRESENT STATUS AND FUTURE-TRENDS OF MULTICHANNEL HOLLOW-CATHODE TRUE FLAT FLUORESCENT LAMP FOR FULL-COLOR LCD BACKLIGHTING

The multichannel thick-film integrated hollow cathode true flat fluore scent lamp (T-FFL) is geometrically compatible with liquid crystal dis plays (LCDs) and is cost-effectively mass producible. The tremendous d evelopment work carried out on this unique technique of multichannel h ollow cathode has brought T-FFL close to the full-colour LCD backlight ing. This paper traces the development of this device from its princip le to the point of revolutionizing the conventional methods of backlig hting full-colour LCDs employing discrete fluorescent lamps and elabor ate optics. Areas of future studies on T-FFL are also indicated.