George Herbert Needham Riddle

Integration of electroluminescent displays on multilayer ceramic-on-metal circuit boards for application in military vehicles

Display system requirements for deployment in military vehicles are very demanding. Multilayer ceramic-on-metal circuit board technology is being applied to enable the fabrication of electroluminescent displays with enhanced performance, ruggedness, and functionality. The circuit board is utilized as the display substrate. The metal core of the circuit board provides a highly rugged panel with excellent thermal dissipation. Display packaging is simplified and display system size and weight are reduced by integrating drivers onto the display. This approach enables increases in display brightness by addressing the EL display in multiple segments with conductive vias through the circuit board. System cost is reduced by eliminating flex-cable edge connectors and by simplifying the package. Display functionality can be extended by integrating related electronics onto the display panel. Monochrome display samples have been demonstrated with performance similar to samples fabricated on traditional glass substrates. Current efforts are directed toward demonstrating high-performance color EL, utilizing the ability of the ceramic substrates to accommodate high-temperature phosphor annealing required to fully activate blue phosphors.