Motorola Labs today claimed to have perfected a technique that promises to deliver large, flat-panel displays with superior quality, longer lifetimes and lower costs than current offerings.

The applied research arm of Motorola said that a working 5in colour video display prototype, based on its proprietary carbon nanotube technology, could "fundamentally change the design and fabrication of flat-panel displays".

Designed to create large high-definition TVs that are less than 1in thick, the researchers explained that the prototype is possible due to Motorola's Nano Emissive Display (NED) technology.

NED is described as a scalable method of growing carbon nanotubes on glass to enable an energy efficient design that excels at emitting electrons.

The electron emission performance demonstrated by this technique exceeds that achieved to date with the application of the carbon nanotubes to the cathode via an organic paste, according to Motorola.

"We have developed a technology that could enable the next generation of large flat-panel displays to deliver an extraordinary visual experience at a fraction of current prices," said Jim O'Connor, vice president for technology incubation and commercialisation at Motorola.