Merck Advanced Technologies Ltd. (MAT, President: Mr. Juergen Koenig), the Korean affiliate of Merck KGaA of Germany, showed off its cutting-edge technologies not just for liquid crystals but also for photovoltaics and lighting during the International Meeting on Information Display (IMID) 2009 from October 13-16. This event was being consolidated under the Korea Electronics Grand Fair for the second consecutive year.
"For Merck, IMID was of particular importance because it shows the latest progress made by engineers and researchers working with liquid crystals and other display technologies, including new display components and materials. Also, it was a good opportunity to inform participants along with customers about recent developments in the display business as well as new display modes and trends," said Mr. Juergen Koenig, President of Merck Korea.
Mr. Koenig was a Keynote speaker with Mr. Chang Won-kie, President of the LCD division of Samsung Electronics and Mr. Munisamy Anandan, President of Organic Lighting Technologies LLC and SID President-elect. He spoke at 9am on the 13th.
In its already established LED business, Merck has expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of the company Litec in 2008. By integrating Litec's competencies, Merck entered the market for innovative, highly-efficient light sources. Merck has invested intensively in the next generation potential market based on three pillars: materials for displays, photovoltaics and lighting.
During the exhibition, Merck presented special materials for photovoltaic and lighting applications, opening up opportunities in these industries with a convincing product portfolio. However, liquid crystals will remain Merck's main business in the display field during the next 10 years.
A brand from Liquid Crystals Structuring Solutions, isishape, was introduced at IMID 2009. The main markets for isishape are in the photovoltaic (PV) and display-area touch panel industries. Both are predicted to have large growth potential. Production costs and increased solar cell efficiency will become important competitive factors.
Merck offers innovations for LED lighting, which have a very high energy saving potential, do not contain environmentally unfriendly heavy metals and have superb longevity. Under the brand name isiphor, Merck offers innovative luminescent materials for LED production to make illumination ideas come true. A wide range of color-on-demand concepts from warm to cold white light is readily available.
Using extensive know-how and manufacturing expertise together with the most advanced process technology, Merck's phosphors are especially homogeneous in form and size, enabling homogeneous phosphor conversion layers with high efficiency, significantly less light scattering, and even less energy consumption.
In 2008, to provide high quality products in the rapidly increasing display market, Merck invested EUR 11 million in Korea for setting up its second Advanced Technology Center (ATC), which will be completed by the end of 2009. Merck is focusing on the core technology of chemical materials in Korea with the intent to remain a long-term leader and contributor to the display industry.
The Merck Awards were introduced during the 2004 IMID by Merck Advanced Technologies Ltd. to celebrate the 100th anniversary of LCDs. The awards honor outstanding scientific contributions to display technologies. The winners are selected by an awards committee based upon criteria such as originality and technical significance.
Now in their sixth year, the 2009 Merck Awards went to Jun Yeob Lee and two researchers from Dankook University with the entry "High Efficiency Deep Blue Phosphorescent Organic Light Emitting Diodes using a Phenylcarbazole Type Phosphine Oxide as a Host Material"; Jaehyuk Chang and nine colleagues from Samsung Electronics Co., LTD. with the entry "All Layer Printed TFT-LCD Device by Large Area UV-Imprinting Lithography"; and X. L. Zhu and four colleagues from Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (Hong Kong) with the entry "Large-size LCD with Multi-touch sensing Capability". The winners of the Merck Young Scientists Award are Jae-Hoon Kim and three researchers from Hanyang University with the entry "Transflective Liquid Crystal Display with High Aperture Ratio using Electrophoresis Particles," and Jae-Hyun Jung and three researchers from Seoul National University with the entry "360-degree Viewable Cylindrical Integral Imaging System using Electroluminescent Films."
