STMicroelectronics, CDT to Develop LEP Devices

GENEVA and CAMBRIDGE, England, Feb. 19 -- Semiconductor manufacturer STMicroelectronics and Cambridge Display Technology (CDT), developer of light-emitting polymer (LEP) technology and owner of the fundamental intellectual property for LEPs, have signed an agreement to develop driver devices for LEP displays.

Under the agreement, CDT has licensed to STMicroelectronics full details related to the electrical performance characteristics and materials interface requirements of LEPs for the design and development of display driver devices that will be offered to LEP display manufacturers. The companies will also evaluate display driver performance on test displays fabricated on CDT's new pilot technology development line in Godmanchester,
England. Joint marketing activities between the companies are planned to promote STMicroelectronics products developed under the agreement.

The companies said their goal is to bring to the market a family of power-optimized and low-cost LEP drivers for portable electronics products including PDAs, mobile phones and new-generation multimedia terminals. The first-display IC devices will be dedicated to monochrome displays and are planned for introduction later in the year. They said they also plan to introduce full-colour drivers for introduction by mid-2003 to coincide with the anticipated market entry of full-colour LEP displays using inkjet printing manufacturing technology.