Anti-reflective technology on Surface for Business devices

Surface devices are built to provide a luxurious and versatile experience at home, in the office, and on the go. Each environment presents unique challenges to display readability, especially due to reflections and glare from ambient light sources.

Based on feedback and extensive user testing, we set out to develop a solution that minimizes unwanted reflections while maintaining the clarity and contrast of the display.

We wanted to design an experience that minimized distracting reflections and delivered the key experiences users expect, including:

• Integrates anti-reflective (AR) technology with touch and pen experiences without sacrificing responsiveness and accuracy.
• Ensures the durability of AR technology and protects against scratches, fingerprints and other environmental factors.
• Maintains the display’s color fidelity and uniformity across the entire screen and is calibrated to industry standards.
• Optimizes the optical performance of the AR coating and prevents interference with the IR and RGB cameras used for Windows Hello and other features.

In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at these issues and show you how to solve them using solutions from Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for Business.

What is anti-reflective technology?

There are different types of glare suppression technologies, such as anti-glare and anti-reflection (AR) solutions.

• Anti-glare technology works by creating a slightly uneven display surface, scattering the light that hits the display, reducing harsh reflections, and creating a matte finish.
• Anti-glare technology reduces the amount of light reflecting off the display by applying a thin coating that minimizes reflections. Anti-glare technology can improve the visibility and clarity of screen content by minimizing reflections, especially in bright or variable lighting conditions.

Surface Pro 10 showing AR coating results on the right

Benefits of anti-reflective technology on Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6

With Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6, we wanted to deliver more value to commercial customers by adding AR technology to our displays. This new technology improves your device experience by providing:

• Improved readability: AR technology improves display readability by reducing reflections and glare, making it easier to view in a variety of lighting conditions, including bright daylight, overcast skies, office lighting, bedrooms at night, and on airplanes. Readability is highly dependent on contrast, a key quality factor that we meticulously measure and optimize.
• Improved color recognition: Anti-glare technology improves the perceived color of the display by reducing reflections and glare. This is because ambient light can change the color, saturation, and brightness of screen content. Color recognition is another important quality factor that we strive to provide.
• Compliance: Some organizations have specific regulations and standards that require screen reflectance control to ensure the health and safety of users and workers. Anti-reflective technology helps Surface devices meet these standards to create a safer and more comfortable work environment.

Designed for innovation in anti-reflective technology

Designing an AR coating for Surface devices was no simple task. We aimed to reduce reflections in a meaningful way without sacrificing picture quality and brightness or compromising the user experience. This involved multiple trials, tests and evaluations using a variety of suppliers, materials and processes. We had to consider many factors such as optical performance, reliability, process control, yield and cost. We also had to consider the impact of the AR coating on other components of the display, such as the black mask, IR ink, touch layer, polarizer, adhesive, and the display panel itself.

We started by defining target specifications for the AR coating based on benchmark analysis and user research for multiple AR solutions. Our goal was to reduce overall reflectance by 50% and increase transmission at the glass level. We also wanted neutral reflection for all light sources and high transmission in the IR spectral range for Windows Hello functionality. Balancing all aspects of the display was essential to deliver a premium experience.

Once the target results were confirmed, we worked closely with the manufacturer to tailor the AR coating design to our specifications and validate performance at both the cover glass level and the touchscreen display module (TDM) level. We used a variety of equipment and materials to deposit AR coatings on glass surfaces. Additionally, an anti-fingerprint (AF) coating was applied on top of the AR coating to protect it from scratches and wear.

The optical and reliability performance of AR-coated cover glasses and TDM samples were measured and evaluated using various methods. We evaluated reflection color, reflection intensity, and transmittance, as well as the impact of IR inks and AR coatings on various cameras/sensors. Reliability tests such as abrasion, adhesion, chemical resistance, thermal shock, humidity and UV exposure ensure that AR coatings meet our quality standards. Finally, we conducted user research and demos to evaluate the visual experience and gather feedback.

Results you can see

We’ve created an incredible experience that allows users to be more productive in virtually any lighting condition.

• Reduce reflections: Our advanced anti-glare technology reduces reflections by up to 50%, making your screen easier to view even in bright light or outdoors. This way, your work will always be readable no matter where you are.
• Individually calibrated display: Each Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 display is individually calibrated to minimize unwanted reflections while maintaining exceptional picture quality. This attention to detail ensures that touch and pen interactions remain accurate and responsive, providing a seamless user experience.
• Improved brightness and contrast: Surface Pro 10 features the latest PixelSense display, which is 33% brighter and boasts a 15% higher contrast ratio than its predecessor, Surface Pro 9. Supporting brightness levels ranging from 2 to 600 NITS, users can enjoy vibrant visual effects in any environment. Lighting status.
• Certified Excellence: Our displays are certified by TÜV SÜD, a globally recognized testing and certification body, as meeting the stringent requirements of ISO 9241-307, ensuring high-quality display performance and user safety.¹
• Eye comfort and longevity: To improve eye comfort, the displays on Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 are designed to reduce blue light exposure. This not only improves eye comfort but also allows users to work for longer without experiencing eye strain. Our displays are certified by TÜV SÜD for a lower blue light rate, ensuring a healthier viewing experience.¹
• Flicker-free experience: Our displays are also rigorously tested to ensure they are flicker-free, further improving eye comfort and reducing eye strain. This certification from TÜV SÜD highlights our commitment to user well-being.¹

At Surface, we’re committed to creating premium hardware and experiences that help our customers work more efficiently and comfortably. The displays on Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for Business are incredibly responsive and designed to reduce eye strain, glare, and reflections in all lighting conditions. We achieve this by applying advanced anti-reflection technology and calibrating each display individually to ensure optimal picture quality. Our displays are certified by TÜV SÜD for flicker-free, low blue light and high-quality performance, proving they meet rigorous industry standards.

Our displays allow you to focus on what matters most without being distracted or fatigued by the screen. Please visit the link below for more information:

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References

1. Testing and certification was performed by TÜV SÜD and only applies to Surface Pro 10 for Enterprise and Surface Laptop 6 for Enterprise.