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Definition: surface-conduction electron-emitter display


A thin CRT technology developed by Canon that was based on field emission technology (FED). Announced in 2002, Canon created a joint venture with Toshiba to develop surface-conduction electron-emitter (SED) TVs, and prototypes at the 2006 CES show in Las Vegas demonstrated remarkable clarity. However, a lawsuit over sharing licensed technology relating to carbon nanotube emitters caused Canon to buy out Toshiba's stake in 2007. Due to improvements in LCD TV technology, Canon later turned its attention to OLED displays and liquidated its SED Inc. subsidiary in 2010.

Similar to Plasma Displays
Using millions of low voltage emitters (one for each pixel) on the cathode plate and regular CRT-like phosphors on the glass anode plate, the SED display used a third of the power of plasma displays. See FED and plasma display.