Development of ‘spring glass’ technology that can supplement glass cover window, which is one of a foldable Smartphone’s weaknesses, is drawing interests. Because there is a high chance that this technology will be used for UTG (Ultra-Thin Glass) foldable Smartphone that will be released next year, it will be interesting to see how competitions on cover window material for foldable Smartphones in the future will be laid out.
According to the industry, ‘spring glass’ technology shoots laser at foldable glass to make it elastic but does not change any other property of glass. Because foldable panel manufacturers are testing this technology and are looking into adopting this technology, it will be interesting to see whether this technology will actually be used for foldable Smartphones with UTG cover window.
Laser is the key to this technology. Because glass is hard and stiff, it can easily be broken or cracked from physical impact unlike transparent PI (Polyimide).
Spring glass technology can supplement such weakness of a cover glass. When laser is shot at the part of a foldable Smartphone where it is bent, glass be elastic like rubber. This technology is special from a standpoint that it only changes a property of glass while not changing optical properties or the color of glass.
When the part of a foldable Smartphone where it is bent has elastic property, amount of pressure that is stressed on the glass will be lowered.
In case of out-folding Smartphones, there is a high chance that transparent PI will be used more than glass. This is because glass can be broken more easily if there is an impact to the part where it is bent when a foldable Smartphone is dropped. When spring glass technology is applied to a cover glass, it is likely that glass materials for both in-folding and out-folding Smartphones will occupy better positions from physical impact.
LPKF, a German laser and electronics company, introduced LIDE (The Laser-Induced Deep Etching) technology that can replace the part of a foldable glass where it is bent with spring glass. This technology was awarded ‘SID Honorary Award’, which is given to startup companies that introduce innovative technologies, during a SID (the Society for Information Display) Display Week that was held in the U.S. last May.
“Some panel manufacturers are looking into this spring glass technology.” said an expert from the industry. “I am highly interested in this technology as there is a chance that it can actually be used for UTG Smartphones.”
Staff Reporter Bae, Okjin | withok@etnews.com