We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Hardware

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is a Field Emission Display?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 12,436
Share

A field emission display (FED) is a flat panel screen that combines elements of liquid crystal display (LCD) and cathode ray tube (CRT) technology. It retains the sharp, clear, high quality image associated with CRT screens, but has the narrower profile and lighter weight of an LCD system. This technology is also very energy efficient, using far less energy than comparable screens of either style. Several manufacturers have investments in the technology, which entered development in the late 1990s in competition with other kinds of flat panel displays.

The design involves the use of field electron emissions to generate colors. A grid of electron guns excites electrons to stimulate the production of emissions in various ranges of the visual spectrum, visible on the front of the screen. This is similar to the way a CRT works, except that the technology has a slim profile like an LCD. Researchers work to combine the best of both technologies in field emission display designs to generate crisp images with low energy use and a smaller footprint.

Such displays can potentially be quite large, although increased size can add considerably to the cost of a field emission display. The system is also vulnerable to errors in manufacturing or mishandling during transit and installation, both of which can potentially cause dead pixels. With high resolution, these may not be immediately apparent, as the surrounding pixels can make up the difference. Consumers tend to demand very crisp image quality, which leads to high resolution in designs to meet their needs.

A number of flat panel displays are available to consumers, and field emission display technology lagged in development as other designs entered the market. This allowed developers of other products to refine their equipment to address consumer complaints and compensate for competitors while FED technology was still in the prototype phase. Some manufacturers with initial investments in this design chose to move on to other projects in response to the success of competing designs.

Manufacturers have not abandoned field emission display research and development entirely. Examples can be seen at some electronics shows, especially those with a focus on innovative new design and projected designs that have not entered development for immediate release. Researchers with an interest in display screen technology can work in private labs as well as government agencies to develop FED and other technologies that may add efficiency, improve image quality, and offer other advantages over other screens on the market.

Share
EasyTechJunkie is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a EasyTechJunkie researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Discussion Comments
By Logicfest — On Nov 24, 2014

@Terrificli -- That field emission stuff might be a big deal one day, but it has a couple of things going against it. For one thing, the big players are no longer researching it (some minor companies are, but the chances that you've heard of those businesses are slim to none).

Also, there are UHDTV technologies that are in production now. The field emission proponents, then, might be late to the party if they show up at all.

That's not saying it's not great technology. It just might not be the most practical out there for today's consumer market.

By Terrificli — On Nov 23, 2014

A number of people have given this technology up for dead, but it is still being researched and may be the next big thing as ultra high definition television (UHDTV) technology develops. The suggestion is that field emission displays last a long time, can be adapted to handle extremely high resolutions and can be cost effective.

Will we see the development of those displays take off in the UHDTV market? Only time will tell, but it does appear to be a promising technology.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.easytechjunkie.com/what-is-a-field-emission-display.htm
Copy this link
EasyTechJunkie, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

EasyTechJunkie, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.