SEOUL, Nov 15, 2007 (AFP) - A South Korean firm said Thursday it has developed a dirt-resistant screen for notebook computers, by using a principle similar to non-stick frying pans.

LG.Philips LCD said the thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panel allows easy removal of dust, smudges, fingerprints and even permanent ink.

The company said in a statement it would start mass production in the first half of next year.

The firm said that as some anti-glare coatings also retain dirt and oil from users' fingerprints, to make the panels dirt-resistant, manufacturers must add a second coating at added cost.

LG.Philips LCD said its new panel would eliminate this additional step and also deliver superior dirt resistance.

"Our new panel employs a principle similar to that used on non-stick frying pans. Dirt and oil can easily be wiped away," said Ahn Byung-Chul, development chief for advanced technology.

"Like millions of other people, we use notebook computers when travelling on business. Fingerprints have always been an especially big annoyance, and if they are not cleaned off immediately they become even harder to remove from the screen.

"That is why we developed this new technology."

LG Philips LCD, the world's second largest maker of flat panel screens, is a joint venture between South Korea's LG Electronics and Philips Electronics of the Netherlands.