Once upon a time, the necessity to deposit Indium Tin Oxide coatings via high-temperature processes restricted their use to glass substrates. Today, we can supply an array of ITO coated plastic products.
The Demands of Consumer Electronics
21st Century consumer electronics evolve continually and at an ever-increasing pace. As consumers demand ever-more cost-effective, lighter and thinner devices while expecting outstanding device performances, manufacturers and their industrial designers must consistently find newer, better ways to keep up with these demands.
One of the fastest growing and most popular approaches to meeting consumer demands within the world’s optical display industries is to use polymer display substrates coated with Indium Tin Oxide.
ITO Coatings in the Beginning
Indium Tin Oxide – or, as it is now commonly simply referred to, ITO – is a highly conductive, transparent metal oxide that is deposited onto substrates used within optical display industries to both amplify their surface conductivity and, of course, maintain their optical inherent optical clarity. Applying conductive, clear coatings is of utmost importance for displays requiring EMI/RFI shielding, touch screens and many other industrial and commercial applications.
Due to the deposition of ITO coatings requiring temperatures exceeding 374° F/190° C to provide low sheet resistances and maintain good optical clarity, these coatings were, however, developed and used virtually exclusively for applications on glass to begin with.
ITO Coated Plastic
Boasting an innovative team of highly experienced designers, researchers and developers, Diamond Coatings now use cutting edge technology to vacuum-deposit ITO coatings* onto plastic at low temperatures.
*Available coating options include:
We can also offer a range of additional:
- Anti-Reflective Coatings
- Special Optical Coatings and
- Optional Hard & Anti-Glare Coatings
Thanks to the flexibility of our substrate handling system, we can deposit coatings not only onto both flat and shaped substrates but also onto a range of injection moulded plastic parts. ITO coatings can now subsequently be used for applications where substrate limitations made their use impossible in the past.
ITO Plastic Applications
Providing outstanding peak light transmissions and shielding effectiveness (RFI and EMI), as well as boasting excellent impact and temperature resistance, ITO plastic is the perfect solution for applications within industries including, to name just some of them:
- Consumer Electronics, Retail & Entertainment
- Imaging & Microscopy and Medical
- Space, Aerospace and Automotive
- Naval, Military & Defence
- Research & Development and More
Potential applications of ITO plastic include, among many, many others:
- Resistive/Capacitive Touch Screens/Panels
- EMI & RFI Shielding
- Electrostatic Dissipation
- Heated Display Filters (Optically Clear)
- Photovoltaic Cells & More
For more detailed information on ITO plastic and/or any other products and to discuss the specifications required by your planned application, please get in touch with our experts by calling (Local Rate) +44 (0) 8451 360 603 or +44 (0) 121 550 9430 today.
