Optical Bonding enhances display performance and mechanical integrity

VacuBond, optical bonding is a clean-room process whereby optical components are bonded together with a high-quality optical silicone gel, OptoGel. This process is also be known as dry bonding. The optical bonding gel fills the air gap between the PCap touchscreen and a front cover glass. Filling the air gap between the front cover glass and touch screen reduces the light refraction between the glass layers and also minimises the reflection of light on internal surfaces. This results in enhanced optical performance with improved display readability and increased contrast.

Richard Murton, Managing Director, Display Technology said, "Adding a user defined front cover glass can enhance the overall aesthetic of the product design and offer additional benefits. Display Technology's VacuBond optical bonding provides a solution for integrating a user-defined cover glass that improves optical performance and also enhances the integrity and ruggedness of the display in harsh user environments."

Optical bonding enables virtually unlimited design implementations for bespoke user interfaces. The front cover glass can be fully customer defined to include oversized glass, ground and polished edges, radius edged corners, and cut-outs for additional peripherals such as card readers, coin mechanisms or thermal printers. Rear ceramic screen printing can also be employed for corporate branding, company logos and user interface icons.

Resistance to mechanical stresses such as vibration and shock is also enhanced with optical bonding. The silicone gel helps to reduce vibrations and enhances shock resistance by dissipating energy generated from any impacts. Condensation and fogging are prevented as the air gap is no longer present. Additionally, no internal contamination is possible as dust and foreign particles cannot penetrate. Heat dissipation, through the front glass, is also improved.

Consumer, medical, point-of-sale, in-vehicle, automation and industrial control applications all require excellent optical performance and environmental ruggedness. VacuBond enables a touch screen, optical filter or cover glass to be attached to a LCD and provides the ideal solution for displays used in premium high-end systems and equipment that demand a contemporary, easy-to-use user interface.

Display Technology's in-house optical bonding solution, VacuBond is implemented in dedicated production facilities in Germering, Germany.