New Film Renders Screen Reflection Almost Non-Existent

An anonymous reader writes "Sony has used the SID 2012 conference to demonstrate a brand new combination of conductive film and low-reflection film that promises to render screen reflection almost non-existent in devices like smartphones and tablets. Sony achieved such low reflections by combining its new conductive film with a moth-eye low reflection film. The key to the low reflectance is the formation of an uneven surface, which consists of both concave and convex structures (tiny bumps) that cover the entire film. The uneven surface means that light won't just bounce back off the screen creating a reflection, and therefore making the screen usable in a wider range of lighting conditions."

Moth-eye

[Phibz]

I was wondering what they meant by moth-eye and I found this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-reflective_coating#Moth_eye

Moth eye coating

[teslar]

Philips has a television [philips.co.uk] with a moth-eye coating (just that though; not a combination with other coatings as in Sony's approach) available. Just read the review [reghardware.com] this morning. Seems a bit fragile though - I wonder if this will also apply to Sony's new film (I guess it won't since that'd be rubbish on a smartphone, but TFA does not actually address it):

Amazingly, it works - but thereâ(TM)s a caveat. The filter requires extreme care, so much so that Philips supplies a proprietary cleaning solution to remove any thumbprint smudges. This fragility makes the screen a questionable purchase for those with young families.

Re:Moth-eye

[PatPending]

I'll see your Wikipedia reference and raise you two USPTO patents granted to SONY for this:

8,027,090 [freepatentsonline.com] and 7,633,045 [freepatentsonline.com].

Note: according to another of SONY's patents, moth-eye can also be used to record info on optical media:

"Today, there are seven primary methods by which information can be recorded on optical media. All methods heat the recording layer to a certain temperature. The methods are known as ablative, alloying, bubble-forming, moth-eye, phase-change, dye/polymer and magneto-optic which cause or could cause some mechanical deformation of the substrate."

P.S.

Unlike TFA these patents include detailed drawings and SEM photographs.

P.S.S.

I remember when the authors of tech articles did this kind of background research. Sigh.

Re:An uneven surface?

[6031769]

Indeed there is more to it. This is a screen for "smartphones and tablets" ie. a touchscreen with a matt finish. That is the novelty here.