ScreenTek is proud to provide you this glossary of common terms in the laptop LCD screen industry, and in the laptop notebook industry. Feel free to become more familiar with the terms we use throughout our site. If you notice any glaring omissions, we'd be glad to hear about those. Drop us a line at sales@screentekinc.com.

A, B, C Terms » 20 definitions

Active area

The actual area of an LCD screen that displays the image. The frame, or bezel, surrounding the LCD screen is not included in the measurement of active area.

(more Hardware terms)

Active matrix

An electronics display system in flat panel displays, in which each pixel is separately controlled by a matrix of thin-film transistors (see TFT). The device stores each pixel's state electronically while other pixels are refreshed, creating a brighter, sharper image than can be made with a passive matrix system.

(more Hardware terms)

Amperage

The strength of a current of electricity expressed and measured in amperes.

(more Electronic terms)

Angle of incidence

The angle at which a ray of light strikes the surface of an object. A ray of light located directly in front of a surface has an angle of incidence of 0 degrees. In addition, the angle of incidence always equals the angle of reflection.

(more Optics terms)

Angle of reflection

The angle at which a ray of light is reflected from the surface of an object. A ray of light reflected directly back to the light emitting source has an angle of reflection of 0 degrees. In addition, the angle of incidence always equals the angle of reflection.

(more Optics terms)

Anti-glare

A technology used by LCD panels to reduce the reflection of external ambient light. Antiglare properties of this technology are produced by roughening the surface polarizer of the LCD panel. Doing so causes ambient light to be reflected from the LCD panel at different angles, minimizing the direct reflection of light. This roughening can be done mechanically, chemically, or by deposition, but chemical / deposition are most the most common (for LCD panels). In the chemical process, the glass or plastic overlay (polarizer) for the display is etched with a solvent--buffered hydrofluoric acid (HCl) for glass, or an organic solvent for plastic. This removes material in such a manner as to leave a roughened surface that is microscopically uniform. Deposition processes involve spray or dip coating the overlay with a solution; drying leaves a roughened layer behind. This often involves using a nano-particle suspension of SiO₂, leaving behind a random distribution of particles when dried.

(more Surface terms)

Anti-reflective

A technology used by LCD panels to reduce the reflection of external ambient light. Displays incorporating anti-reflective technology use a coating or film that has a chemical composition with a lower refractive index closer to that of the surrounding medium (air). This process called index matching attempts to match the refractive indices of two mediums: air and the surface of the LCD screen. The closer the refractive indices of these two mediums, the less light will reflect when transitioning from one medium to another.

(more Surface terms)

Aspect ratio

The relationship of width and height. When an image is displayed on different screens, the aspect ratio must be kept the same to avoid "stretching" in either the vertical or horizontal direction. For most current monitors, this ratio is 4:3. For HDTV, the ratio is generally 16:9.

(more Image terms)

Backlight

The main light emitting power source of a typical LCD panel. The backlight is typically a long narrow cold cathode fluorescent light located behind (the "back" in backlight) the glass and various polarizing filters of an LCD panel.

(more Hardware terms)

Brightness enhanced film (BEF)

A film placed on the rear side of an LCD panel which improves the brightness of an LCD panel by transmitting the light from the backlight unit more effectively.

(more Hardware terms)

CFL cable length

The length of the cable which supplies power the CFL

(more Hardware terms)

CFL Voltage

The amount of volts that a particular CFL contains.

(more Hardware terms)

Clock signal

A signal used to coordinate the actions of two ore more circuits

(more Hardware terms)

Cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) tube

A small tube that provides a bright white light for an LCD display (see backlight). Inside the tube there is a low-pressure mercury vapor, which when ionized emits ultraviolet light. The inside of a fluorescent light is coated with phosphor, which can receive energy in a particular form and emit that energy in a visible form.

(more Hardware terms)

Color chromaticity (CIE)

The aspect of color that includes consideration of its dominant wavelength and purity.

(more Optics terms)

Color saturation

Refers to the intensity of a color or is a measurement of its purity.

(more Optics terms)

Color temperature

A simplified way to characterize the spectral properties of a light source. Lower color temperature indicated warmer light (red/yellow), while high color temperature indicated a colder (blue) light.

(more Optics terms)

Compact fluorescent lamp (CFL)

A type of fluorescent lamp which plugs into a small light fixture, in contrast to incandescent light bulbs, have a longer life.

(more Hardware terms)

Contrast

The measurement of the difference in light intensity between the brightest white pixel and the darkest black pixel.

(more Image terms)

Cycle time

The amount of time it takes to complete a specific cycle.

(more Hardware terms)

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