[Display Glossary.zip] EP.20 : Flicker
'Flicker' referst to the constant change in brightness of light in a display or a lamp. Flicker occurs when the light source repeatdly turns on and off. An easy way to understand is to see how it happens in a lamp, which uses AC current.
The alternating current typically supplied to households follows a waveform that alternates between positive(+) and negative(-) cycles. During the positive and negative phases, current flows, keeping the light on. However, when the waveform reaches '0'—neither positive nor negative—no current flows, causing the light to turn off. If using 60Hz AC, this on/off cycle happens 60 times per second.
When the light continuously turns on and off, the brightness fluctuates, resulting in an effect known as the flicker phenomenon. This flickering is typically not noticeable; however, if issues arise with the lighting or power supply, reducing the frequency, the flicker may become visible to the human eye.
The same principle applies to displays. For displays to render colors, each pixel must receive current to emit light. During this process, as pixels turn on and off, the light source repeats the on/off cycle, producing flicker. In modern displays, flicker is generally imperceptible to the eye but may become noticeable if there is an issue with voltage or display operation.
Display Glossary.zip