Asahi Glass Corp has developed a 0.28mm soda-lime glass substrate for use in touchscreen applications. It is said to be the world's thinnest substrate, with 15% less thickness than the current 0.33mm commercial substrate. The glass used is also 15% lighter in weight, which is expected to make equipment such as smartphones to become even lighter in the future. Volume production of the new substrate, using the float glass process, began at the end of April 2011. Annual sales of the product are expected to surpass 10BN Yen in 2013. The substrate has been developed to be processed easily. It can resist heat and UV ray discolouration while accepting the chemical strengthening process. With these properties,s it acts as a suitable substrate material for touchscreens in tablets and smartphones.
