The fiftieth anniversary of the liquid crystal display

Abstract

A record is given of the special meeting organised by the UK&I Chapter of the Society of Information Display held at the Royal Academy of Engineering in London, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the RCA announcement of the first Liquid Crystal Display on 28th May 1968. Coming exactly eighty years after the report of the first liquid crystal materials, this announcement sparked interest across the globe, and particularly in the UK, Switzerland and Japan. Presentations of the early LCD history from Hilsum, Schadt and Raynes give insights into both the science and also the process of invention itself. These early contributors are followed by a view from the USA from Bos and representation from the companies Sharp and Merck that helped shape the success of these fascinating and useful materials. Also reviewed are talks on the use of organic semiconductors to drive plastic LCD by Sirringhaus, reflective LCD of Folium Optics, retail signage of Displaydata, as well as a look to the future from LCD competitors from Bodle (Phase Change Material displays) and BOE (OLED).