3M Optical Systems

VikuitiTM Dual Brightness Enhancement Film (DBEF) is a unique multilayer optical film invented and manufactured by 3M’s Optical Systems Division. The world’s first brightness enhancement film and reflective polarizer, Vikuiti DBEF has the potential to save as much as 101.7 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy in liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs sold between 2006 and 2011.

Vikuiti DBEF is a thin, multilayer reflective polarizer that effectively recycles S-wave light that is normally absorbed by the polarizer inside LCD TVs and lost. Recycling this light maximizes the brightness of LCDs. The film increases overall brightness and reduces the number of watts required to operate a TV.

Using Vikuiti DBEF film allows manufacturers to eliminate four or more bulbs in most LCD TVs, while simultaneously improving backlight efficiency by 32 percent to 50 percent, and increasing overall energy efficiency of LCD TVs by 20 percent to 30 percent.

According to DisplaySearch, a leading flat panel display market research firm, the market for LCD TVs is growing as much as 70 percent per year, and 495.7 million LCD TVs larger than 21 inches in size are expected to be sold worldwide between 2006 and 2011.

By saving an average of 41.06 kWh per year for each LCD TV (or 205.3 kWh lifetime savings per set), Vikuiti DBEF film could potentially save 101.7 billion kWh of energy over the lifetime of LCD TVs sold between 2006 and 2011, or 20.34 billion kWh annually for five years. (Lifetime is calculated as five years of usage at four and a half hours per day.) This is equal to the energy produced by 59 million barrels of oil or 41 million tons of coal.

In the United States, an estimated 1.34 pounds of greenhouse gasses are produced per kilowatt-hour of electricity produced. Based on a savings of 101.7 billion kWh, using Vikuiti DBEF film could prevent more than 136 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions – equal to emissions from almost 11.1 million vehicles – or 27.25 billion pounds annually for five years.

In addition to requiring fewer watts, LCD TVs with Vikuiti film run cooler and have lower cavity temperature, potentially reducing the burden on air conditioners in warmer climates.

For example, in tests a 37" LCD TV with Vikuiti DBEF film and 12 bulbs produced brightness equal to the same system with 16 bulbs and no Vikuiti DBEF film. The Vikuiti-enabled 12-bulb LCD TV used 35 fewer watts to produce the same brightness and the cavity temperature was 10° C cooler.

A cooler TV cavity temperature from a reduced number of bulbs also has the potential to save more energy by eliminating the need for a cooling fan, or enabling use of a smaller fan that requires less energy to operate.