What is E Ink?

E ink can be used on many of the same surfaces as regular ink. For example, e ink might be applied to a piece of thin plastic containing many small cells. The cells are connected to microelectronics in the sheet, and the ink covers the entire surface of the sheet. The microelectronics create a positive or negative charge in each of the capsules. A negative charge beneath a capsule causes the particles in the ink to go to the top of the capsule, covering its top surface and making it appear white. A positive charge attracts the particles to the bottom of the capsule, allowing the dark ink to show and making the capsule take on the color of the ink.

Another type of e ink is one in which the capsules are filled with tiny balls that are dark on one half and light on the other half. Electrical charges make the balls rotate so that either the dark side or the light side of the balls face up. The capsules in either type are very small at only 100 microns across, so approximately 100,000 of these capsules will fit into a square inch. Developing e ink displays is very difficult, because it is necessary to use extremely small electronic components in order to keep the display close to the thickness of regular paper while maintaining durability, flexibility, and strength.