480-503-4295

Minimum Spacing for a Segmented LCD Display

Focus Display Solutions offers its LCD design guide series as an online resource for design engineers and product managers. For additional technical journals, visit our LCD Journal page.

Small, low power segmented LCD displays

As the popularity of 3V, 3.3V and battery powered products increases, so has the demand for smaller, low power LCD modules. Segmented LCD glass continues to be a popular option for its low tooling cost, low MOQ (Minimum Order Quantities) and conservative power budget.

Two questions that many engineers ask concerns the spacing requirement for a segment glass display. This is true for all fluid types including FSTN (Film compensated STN), STN (super-twisted nematic), TN (twisted nematic), UWVD (Ultra-Wide Viewing Display Technology) and DFTSN (Double Film STN).

NoteUWVD is an excellent option for a negative mode segment or character LCD display but not for a graphic display. DFSTN is an excellent option for a negative mode dot matrix/graphic module.

  • Q: What is the minimum spacing between segments or icons on a segment LCD Display?
  • A: The minimum distance between segments can be as little as .03mm, but we recommend no less then .05mm for ease of manufacturing.

The below photo of a negative mode UWVD LCD. It illustrates a very small gap between the segments of a bar graph. Although this tiny of a gap will allow multiple segments when used on a bar graph configuration, this spacing between numbers or characters can make the display difficult to read.

Minimum spacing of a Segment LCD

  • Q: What is the minimum distance between a segment or icon and the edge of the glass?
  • A: The minimum distance on a segmented LCD can be as little as 1.3mm, but we recommend a buffer of 1.5mm to 2.0mm between the edge of the segment and the edge of ITO (Indium-Tin Oxide) glass.

For over fifteen years, Focus Display’s goals have been to:

  • Reduce our customer’s development time
  • Decrease their development cost
  • Shorten sample and production lead-time

We appreciate and welcome your feedback, suggestions, and questions concerning LCD Display designs.

– The Focus LCDs Display design team