What are STN LCD and FSTN LCD?
TN, STN, FSTN and HTN are all terms used to decribe types of LCDs (liquid crystal displays), each twisting the orientation of the light passing through the LCD structure differently to effect contrast and coloration.
STN LCD is short for Super Twisted Nematic Liquid Cyrstal Display, which appears after TN (twisted nematic) LCD, because TN LCDs are restricted in terms of reduced contrast and limited viewing angle. To achieve more highly multiplexed displays, STN technology is employed.
Super Twisted Nematic (STN) LCDs have a twist that is greater than 90 but less than 360 degrees. Currently most STN displays are made with a twist between 180 and 270 degrees. The higher twist angles cause steeper threshold curves which put the on and off voltages closer together. The steeper thresholds allow multiplex rates greater than 32 to be achieved.
In this type of display, the LC material undergoes a greater than 90° twist from plate to plate; typical values range from 180 to 270°. The polarizers in this case are not mounted parallel to the LC at the surface but rather at some angle. The cell, therefore, does not work on a light "guiding" principle, as in Twisted Nematic LCDs, but instead on a birefringence principle. The position of the polarizers, the cell thickness, and the birefringence of the LC are carefully chosen to result in a particular color in the "off" state. Usually, this is a yellow-green to maximize the contrast ratio. The LC in the cell is "super twisted" that will give it the ability to use a high multiplex rate. As the twist is increased, the LC molecules in the middle of the layer are aligned with the applied electric field by smaller changes in voltage. This gives rise to a very steep transmission vs. voltage curve, allowing up to 240-line multiplexing.
The STN technology comes in two colorations, Green STN and Silver STN. The STN-Green has Dark Violet / Black characters on a Green background. The STN-Silver has Dark Blue / Black characters on a Silver background. It is in the middle of the road as far as cost, but has very good visual quality. The contrast is similar to TN technology.
FSTN LCD is short for Film Compensated Super Twisted Nematic Liquid Cyrstal Display
The most recent advance has been the introduction of Film compensated Super Twisted Nematic (FSTN) displays. This adds a retardation film to the STN display that compensates for the color added by the birefringence effect. This allows a black and white display to be produced and provides for a higher contrast and wider viewing angle.
The FSTN technology comes in a single coloration, Black characters on a White / Gray background. Of the three technologies listed here, it is the most expensive, but it has better viewing angles and contrast that the STN technology listed above.
