Tokyo--Toshiba today announced a 38 billion yen investment in production facilities that will maintain the company's cutting-edge position in low-temperature polysilicon thin-film-transistor (TFT) LCDs and pave the way to a new generation of large-sized displays.

The investment program will start in April this year, with the installation of a new production line at Fukaya Operations, the company's LCD production site. Once it comes on-line in spring 2001, the line will produce 25 thousand 550x670mm glass substrates a month, a significant boost to the present monthly production level of 30 thousand 400x500mm glass substrates.

The new line will be installed in the three-story building that houses Fukaya's current three low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD production lines. New facilities will include a clean room for assembling panels and an advanced manufacturing line. The start of operation will allow commercial production of low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCDs to advance to 15 inches, the largest size yet achieved.

The crystallized silicon in low temperature polysilicon TFT LCD supports much faster electron flows in the transistors than the uncrystallized silicon used in mainstream amorphous-silicon TFT LCDs. This performance enhancement allows most LCD drivers to be formed within the display itself, not externally. As a result, the space required at the periphery of the panel is minimized, the number of components in the LCD module cut by 40%, and the number of connections between TAB drivers and electrodes on the panel reduced by 95%. This simpler design fosters greater reliability and results in displays offering higher resolution, richer color and more design flexibility than other LCDs.

Toshiba integrated research, development and production of low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCDs in Fukaya Operations in 1997. To date, the company's cumulative investment in the business is approximately 30 billion yen, including facilities construction and production equipment. The latest round of investment will assure Toshiba retains its lead in a market that is expected to see significant growth through spurting demand for personal digital equipment, across the range from mobile phones, mobile communicators and PDAs to portable DVD players and mobile computers.

Outline of Low-Temperature Polysilicon TFT LCDs Business

Outline of Fukaya Operations