Active matrix technology is used in laptops and notebooks for high-quality, low-power displays. It uses thin film transistors to create a more precise and dynamic image compared to passive matrix displays. The term was coined in 1975 by Dr. Peter Brody.
Active matrix is a technology used in flat panel liquid crystal displays in notebooks and laptops. This technology provides a more responsive picture with a wider range of viewing angles than passive matrix displays. Laptop and notebook manufacturers prefer active matrix displays, also called active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCD) or thin film transistors (TFT), because they have high image quality, wide color gamut, a fast response time and have a very low weight. They also consume less power, a desirable feature in portable devices.
There are two basic types of displays: active matrix and passive matrix. Passive matrix is the oldest and simplest technology and has a much slower response time than active matrix screens. Due to the way the signal is processed in passive matrix, voltage control is also imprecise. This creates a blurry image with a noticeable lack of contrast.
In active matrices, TFTs are used to create the screen. TFTs are basically small capacitors and switching transistors that are more dynamic than the integrated circuits used in the passive matrix. This technology allows for more precise control over the voltage used to charge the screen. This in turn allows pixels, the tiny dots on a display that are charged to create an image, to allow less light through so that the created image has more contrast. Along with the faster response time, active matrix displays have a more definitive picture and a more dynamic image because the image can refresh at a faster rate than passive matrix.
In practical terms, you can see the difference between passive and active arrays when using a mouse pointer. When you move the pointer across the screen in a passive matrix type display, the image will have “trailers” or double images, moving across the screen behind the pointer. The pointer will also have a blurrier image with little contrast. In active matrices, moving the mouse pointer does not produce “trailers” and the image is sharper.
The term “active matrix” was reportedly first used by Dr. Peter Brody in 1975. He used the term to describe a method of switching individual elements of a flat panel display using a di selenide TFT cadmium (CdSe) for each pixel. Although TFTs are still used today as the main building block for active matrix displays, diodes can also be used.
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