Short for transparent conducting oxide, this class of materials is essential for flat-panel displays, touch screens, and photovoltaics. Indium tin oxide is the most common example. TCOs are deposited as a microscopic layer on glass or plastic to form the electrodes that control individual pixels or register capacitive touches while allowing the backlight or reflected light to pass through.
If the TCO layer gets micro-cracks during the flex test, the touch panel will develop dead zones.
Also heard as
- transparent conducting oxide
Related terms
Touch screen
An electronic visual display that detects the presence and location of a touch within its viewing area.
LCD
A flat-panel screen technology that uses liquid crystals to modulate light.
AMOLED
Active-matrix organic light-emitting diode displays use a thin-film transistor array to control individual pixels.