Sharp has developed high performance small- and medium-size LCD panels using oxide semiconductor, InGaZnO (IGZO). Production of these new LCD panels will aim to start at Kameyama Plant No.2 within this year, the company said. Meeting the strong demand for small- and medium-size LCD panels used in smart phones and tablet terminals, is accompanied by an increased need for display quality, including high resolution and high picture quality, light weight and compact design, and high energy efficiency.

In collaboration with Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd., Sharp has developed and will commercialize a thin-film transistor using a new material, InGaZnO, a world's first. High energy performance LCD panels will be made possible by downsizing the transistor and by increasing the light transmittance for each pixel. In addition, Sharp's UV2A technology will achieve high display quality small- and medium- size LCD panels. UV2A is a photo-alignment technology that can precisely control the alignment of LCD molecules in a simple LCD panel structure. The cost-competitive high efficiency production line will use 8th-generation glass substrates, and will utilize the current Kameyama Plant No.2 production line, with manufacturing to start within this year.

Kameyama Plant No.2 has started operation from August 2006, and has been producing cutting-edge LCD panels for TVs. From now on, this plant will additionally produce small- and medium-size LCD panels.

Sharp's announcement comes just a day after a report in an industry newspaper that Toshiba had been chosen to produce small LCD panels for Apple, and that Sharp had been dropped as a supplier.