Asahi Glass Co. Ltd. (AGC) recently announced it has developed the world’s thinnest soda-lime glass substrate for touchscreens, measuring just 0.28 mm. Mass production using the float process began this month, and AGC expects annual sales to exceed ¥10 billion yen (~ $120 million) in 2013.

Glass touchscreens in smart phones and tablets comprise a tough cover material and an underlying layer of substrate material embedded with electrodes. Soda-lime glass is an ideal substrate material for touchscreens because it maintains form when subjected to heat, resists discoloring due to ultraviolet radiation, accepts chemical strengthening and is easily processed.

For additional details, visit www.agc-group.com/en.