A Laboratory-Based Course in Display Technology

A laboratory-based class in flat-panel display technology is presented. The course introduces fundamental concepts of display systems and reinforces these concepts through the fabrication of three display devices-an inorganic electroluminescent seven-segment display, a dot-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, and a dot-matrix liquid crystal display (LCD). Instead of fabricating a device over multiple laboratory sessions, students fabricate a functional device in a single session. This approach to teaching fabrication provides students immediate results, can accommodate students with disparate backgrounds, and can be easily adapted and expanded. This paper discusses the laboratory design, its impact on student experiences, and possible improvements and extensions.