While flexible ePaper displays have been commercially available for years, the backplane technologies traditionally used to drive them – even those utilising plastic substrates – have often relied on inorganic semiconductor materials like amorphous silicon (a-Si). Although these ‘silicon-on-plastic’ solutions offer a degree of flexibility, they often face inherent physical limitations in terms of durability and bending.
Organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) technology is changing this status-quo by bringing unrivalled flexibility and ruggedness to monochrome and colour ePaper displays.
Shanghai-based DKE – a global leader in ePaper modules and manufacturing partner of FlexEnable – has officially launched its new DKE FLEX platform that is driven by OTFTs on plastic substrates. This groundbreaking new category of monochrome and colour ePaper displays uses FlexEnable’s FlexiOM™ OTFT materials and backplane technology.
Why OTFT ePaper displays?
By pairing FlexEnable’s OTFT backplane with E Ink’s frontplanes, DKE has created a module that retains the ‘always-on’ low power consumption and daylight readability of ePaper, while gaining the mechanical freedom of organic electronics, enabling new product form factors not possible with other backplanes. This makes DKE FLEX the ideal platform for everything from smart cards and wearable devices to foldable eReaders and flexible ultra-thin and lightweight digital signage.
The benefits of FlexEnable’s OTFT backplane technology for ePaper include:
- Unrivalled ruggedness
Our OTFT backplanes are proven to be three times more rugged than the amorphous silicon transistors typically found in flexible displays.
- Tight bend radii and dynamic bending
We have pushed the boundaries of curvature. DKE FLEX modules can support a bend radius of less than 2mm as well as dynamic bending. This allows the display to conform to tight corners or wrap entirely around a device.
- Industrially proven
The first product in the new portfolio – a 3.9” OTFT-driven ePaper display – is on the market, based on the technology featured in a consumer device where the screen uniquely wraps around a 180-degree bend.
Visit DKE at Embedded World 2026
DKE will be showcasing the DKE FLEX portfolio, driven by FlexEnable’s OTFT technology, at Embedded World in Nuremberg, Germany:
- Date: 10-12 March 2026
- Location: Hall 1, Booth 1-389
To request a meeting, or inquire about partnerships and product integration, please contact DKE at dkeflex@dke.com.cn.
