CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) backlights are a backlight with low power consumption and a very bright light. CCFL’s are most commonly produced as an edge lit backlight. This backlight uses a diffuser(similar to a lamp shade) to distribute the light evenly across the viewing area. CCFL’s do require an inverter to convert DC to AC. This is to supply the 270 to 300 VAC @ 35KHz that is used by the CCFL tube. CCFL backlights are used primarily in graphic displays. They have a (half-life)lifespan of 10K to 20K hours which is longer than an EL but shorter than an LED backlight.
The biggest hang up with CCFL backlights is that the light output can be lowered by as much as 60% in cold weather. They require inverters to generate the 350VAC and inverters do not work well in cold temperatures. Another issue is the display is either ON or OFF, the brightness cannot be varied. CCFL’s also handle vibration poorly, vibrations can reduce the life expectance of the backlight by up to 50%.
