INTRODUCTION

The display is the interface to the networked society; it forms the essential link between information and the human being. The major trends to be noted in this respect are the increasing demand for pervasive Mobile/Wearable terminal displays, requiring the introduction of rugged, lightweight and flexible display interfaces, and ubiquitous displays of any shape and size based on new enabling process technologies, with cost-effective production methods.

Reflective displays with paper-like viewing characteristics are rapidly emerging, with applications like electronic books and newspapers, roaming data access, and, on the longer term, full-color video access on the move.

For years, the "holy grail" of the display industry has been a thin, clear, flexible substrate with barrier properties equal to those of a sheet of glass. Flexible displays offer many potential benefits over other display technologies, including reductions in weight and thickness, improved ruggedness, and nonlinear form factors. These features make flexible displays attractive for a variety of electronic products ranging from cell phones and PDAs to computers, toys, electronic books, and "wearables."