TFT LCD Driver IC
2025/11/28
1. Basic Function
The driver IC converts digital image data from a MCU/SoC into analog voltages that control each LCD pixel, and it drives the gate (row) and source (column) electrodes according to a timing sequence to render the picture.
2. Two Functional Categories
|
Category |
English Name |
Main Function |
Input |
Output |
Key Parameters |
|
Source Driver |
Column driver |
Generates gray level voltages for each column (brightness) |
RGB digital data (6/8/10bits per colour) |
Multiple analog voltages, one per column |
Number of output channels (e.g., 384, 768, 1080), gray level resolution, output slew rate |
|
Gate Driver |
Row driver |
Scans rows by sequentially turning on TFT switches |
Clock, start pulse (STV), shift clock |
High voltage pulses (typically 15–30V) to open TFT gates |
Simple structure, usually cascaded shift registers |
3. Major Vendors and Representative Parts
|
Vendor |
Region |
Highlights |
Representative ICs |
|
Novatek (联咏科技) |
Taiwan |
World’s largest LCD driver supplier, covers phones to TVs |
NT35510, NT39122, NT35596, NT35521 |
|
Himax (奇景光电) |
Taiwan |
Strong in small-to-medium sizes, supports MIPI/LVDS |
HX8238, HX8357, HX8369 |
|
Solomon Systech (晶门科技) |
Hong Kong |
Low-power, common in industrial/wearable devices |
SSD1963, SSD2119, SSD1351 (OLED) |
|
Ilitek (奕力科技) |
Taiwan |
Touch + display integration |
ILI9341, ILI9488, ILI9806 |
|
Sitronix (矽创电子) |
Taiwan |
Cost-sensitive market leader |
ST7789, ST7735, ST7796 |
|
Renesas (瑞萨) |
Japan |
Industrial / automotive-grade reliability |
R61581, R61529 |
|
Samsung / MagnaChip |
South Korea |
Mainly in-house or large-customer custom parts |
— |
4. Typical Driver IC Models (mainly for small?to?medium panels)
|
Model |
Supported Resolution |
Interface |
Main Features |
Typical Applications |
|
ILI9341 |
240×320 (QVGA) |
SPI / 8080 MCU |
Ubiquitous, widely supported by Arduino/STM32 libraries |
Development boards, small HMI |
|
ILI9488 |
320×480 (HVGA) |
8080 / RGB |
16.7M colours, requires parallel bus |
Industrial panels, handheld devices |
|
ST7789 |
240×240-320×480 |
SPI / 8080 |
High cost performance, portrait screen friendly |
Smartwatches, circular TFT |
|
ST7735 |
128×160 |
SPI |
Very small, low power |
Low-end wearables, toys |
|
NT35510 |
480×854 (FWVGA) |
MIPI-DSI |
Phone-grade speed, built-in power management |
Android secondary screens, industrial terminals |
|
HX8357 |
320×480 |
8080 / RGB |
High brightness, wide viewing angle |
Outdoor equipment |
|
SSD1963 |
Up to 1280×720 |
RGB / MCU |
Integrated frame memory (GRAM), highly autonomous |
Medical devices, systems without an OS |
5. Integration Styles
|
Style |
Description |
|
COG (Chip-on-Glass) |
Driver IC is directly bonded to the LCD glass substrate; low cost but hard to repair and yields a relatively wide bezel. |
|
COF (Chip-on-Film) |
Driver IC is mounted on a flexible FPC, then hot-pressed to the glass edge; enables narrow bezels for full-screen phones. |
|
TCP (Tape-Carrier-Package) |
IC is packaged on a flexible tape carrier, replaceable; used mainly for large panels such as notebook screens. |
6. Key Selection Considerations
|
Factor |
Explanation |
|
Resolution match |
Output channel count must be ≥ screen columns×RGB (e.g., 480×3=1440 channels). |
|
Interface compatibility |
Does the driver support the host’s interface (SPI, MCU parallel, RGB, MIPI, etc.) |
|
Supply voltage |
Typically 2.8V or 3.3V; some parts support a wider range. |
|
Built-in functions |
Gamma correction, brightness control, sleep mode, etc. |
|
Availability & cost |
Industrial projects need long-term supply stability and cost predictability. |
7. Development Trends
l Higher integration: Source+Gate+TCON (timing controller) merged into a single chip.
l High-speed interfaces: Shift toward MIPI-DSI for phones/tablets and eDP for notebooks.
l Low-power designs: Support for partial updates and dynamic backlight control.
l Automotive qualification: Growing demand for AEC Q100 qualified drivers (e.g., Novatek’s automotive series).
8. Summary
Driver ICs are the “translator” and “commander” of TFT LCD systems, turning digital image data into precise pixel-control signals. In embedded development, choosing low-cost parts such as ILI9341 or ST7789 greatly simplifies hardware/software design, while in consumer electronics, high performance ICs from Novatek, Himax and others enable the widespread adoption of high-resolution, high refresh rate displays.
