AGC supplies glass substrate for extra-thin LCD TVs

AGC, a world-leading supplier of glass, chemicals, ceramics and other high-tech materials and components, announced today that it is supplying manufacturers with a superior glass substrate for light guide plate (LGP), named XCV (pronounced “ex-ive”), that helps reduce the thickness of LCD TVs and displays to about 5mm. XCV, which offers high transmittance and extended flexibility for designing, has already been adopted for stylish, next-generation TVs and displays marketed by several manufacturers.

Compared to conventional LGPs made from acrylic resin, AGC’s new XCV glass substrate offers more than 20 times greater stiffness and a coefficient of thermal expansion reduced by a factor of eight. Also, the bezel, or grooved area used to hold the screen in place, can be made narrower because XCV is highly resistant to thermal expansion, enabling more stylish product designs. In addition, XCVTM does not require structural components needed to support plastic LGPs, so it helps to reduce display weight.

AGC, by adopting its proprietary extra-efficient float process developed for the production large glass substrate, is prepared to mass-produce and quickly deliver XCV to meet strong demands from TV and display manufacturers.

LGPs use the edge-lit method to transmit and diffuse light from LEDs placed at the screen’s edges, resulting in improved backlighting of the screen. Whereas existing glass materials are not suited to LGPs due to their low transmittance, XCV is a highly suitable LGP material because it offers the necessary high transmittance to assure extra-bright displays.

AGC developed its new XCV glass substrate to replace conventional plastic LGPs by applying the company’s century of excellence in manufacturing diverse glass products. XCVTM is a highly advanced glass substrate that enables large, bright TV displays to be produced with 5mm thinness, said Tadashi “Bruce” Murano, General Manager of AGC’s Applied Glass Materials General Division.

Going forward, AGC will continue to drive progress in the TV and display market by enhancing the properties and performance of XCVTM to satisfy the evolving demands of manufacturers to produce larger, brighter and thinner TVs and displays for consumers.