SHARP Memory LCD Leak Recovery

This type of LCDs is used in some popular products like Pebble watch, Garmin navigators, Play Date console and so on.

As I previously made project DRM Watch 3 with SHARP Memory LCD used, I discovered, that this type of LCD is VERY fragile.

I got multiple screens damaged while normal use - especially if I made errors with assembly.

What interesting - damage is revealed slowly - pixels is dying for 4-10 days after LCD damaged (assembled, hit, dropped).

I bought new LCDs, but left with some leaked displays, which is working, but defective.

So I started experimenting with them.

I tried pressure, vacuum, heat, cold, vibrations, water, time and looked for regularities. On this way I destroyed several displays, but it wasn't in vain.

Combining freezing cold, strong pressure and wait some time actually recovered LCD! So now i'm about to share my method with you.

Used materials:

1. Leaked SHARP Memory LCD
2. 4x Perforated metal plate 40х100х2,0
3. 4x Bolts M5
4. 4x Nuts M5
5. Paper sheets
6. Scissors
7. Wrench (Sccording to nuts used)
8. Allen wrench (According to bolts used)
9. Refrigerator

There's a lot of possible LCD types of damage: Physical Cracks, Dead Pixels, Burn-In image, Leaks, Manufacturing defects.

My lethod is about recoveryng leaks. Here's some photos of damaged LCDs I successfully recovered with my method.

Obviously, this method will not works for other types of damage.

Why it's happening?

Possible reasons:

1. Shock impact (drop device or hit something)
2. Long time pressure (when screw or dust particle pressing on the screen)
3. Uncareful storage

1. Cut many papers to fit display size. Stack them to get equal thickness on all surface.
2. Place display in middle of papers.
3. Place papers between metal plates and screw 4 bolts on corners.
4. Tighten screws uniformly. To achieve same pressure on all corners.
5. Don't tignt too much - if metal starts to bend - it's enough!

Follow this steps:

1. Put display in pressure fixture.
2. Tighten fixture screws uniformly.
3. Place in freezer (-20*C) for 10-50 hours.
4. Remove from freezer and let sit for a few hours.
5. When fixture is warmed, slowly unscrew nuts. Unscrew uniformly - half rotation one by one.
6. Disassemble fixture, remove display.
7. Now it should be fully recovered!

If no, it maybe because your display have some other type of damage, which can't be recovered by this memthod.

You can try again, maybe it will work from second time. But all tests I made always worked from first time.

Display was initially damaged by double sided tape pressing from back side of screen.

Attempted to recovery with pressule alone.

I left it for few hours, but got no changes.

Display was initially damaged by double sided tape pressing from back side of screen.

Attempted to recovery with heat.

Previous display was seriously melted and destroyed.

This one just changed form of leak with no success.

Here I got first success.

Display was initially damaged by double sided tape pressing from back side of screen.

Attempted to recovery with pressule and freezing.

Placed display into pressure fixture and freezer for 10+ hours.

Removed from freezer, warmed, removed from fixture, and..... It recovered!

This LCD recovered few weeks ago and still works good.

I also made tests with cold but without pressure.

Leak become smaller, but not fully recovered.

Initially display got damage by front hit. Leak appeared immediately and grows for next few days.

I tested Cold+Pressure. Display fully recovered.

Initially display was damaged by shock front impact and line started appearing after few hours after impact and grows for about 2 weeks.

I placed display to pressure fixture and move to freezer.

After hour of freezing I disassembled to see how display changed. You can see on 3th photo.

Then I placed again to fixture and left freezing for 10+ hours.

Then when I disassembled again - display was fully recovered and still works like new.

Initially display got damage by glue pressing on it from back.

Leak grown in few days.

After cold+pressure procedure display fully recovered.