Merck 2010 Annual Report Download - page 84

PS-VA technology opens up new possibilities for LCD producers to achieve previously unat-
tained screen properties – warmer, more natural colors, spatial depth and livelier movement.
In Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, this technology is already being used in mass production.
The term LED TVs is used to describe LCD televisions in which only the backlight consists of
LEDs (light-emitting diodes), thus improving picture contrast, reducing energy consumption
and producing more lifelike images. Individual areas of the illuminated surface for displaying a
deep black can be separately dimmed or switched off completely, thus enhancing the contrast.
This combines the advantages of LED and LCD. Further significant advantages include the low
energy consumption and slim design of the flat screens.

In addition, Merck supplies innovative liquid crystal mixtures needed for devices such as 3D
televisions and touch screens used in tablet PCs, which are becoming more and more popular.
The liquid crystal mixtures used for special 3D glasses for watching 3D television contributed
to the positive business performance, as did light-converting isiphor ® phosphors used for LED
backlighting.
In addition, we are working on reactive mesogens, which are polymerizable liquid crystals that
can be used, for example, as material for optical films. They help to enhance the image quality
and improve the power consumption of 2D and 3D screens.
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With the inauguration of the Advanced Technology Center in Poseung, South Korea, we have
created additional possibilities to research and develop the latest liquid crystal technologies
and have laid the foundations for further innovations. We invested EUR 11 million in this
research center.
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Besides liquid crystal technology, our researchers are also working on materials for innovative
displays. Here the special focus of development is on OLED materials, which are already being
used in mobile phones and MP3 players. In our efforts to advance OLED technology, we are
increasingly participating in research networks. The development of “new materials for OLEDs
from solutions” (NEMO) is the focus of a project in which Merck is participating as the consor-
tium leader together with partners from industry and science. The aim of this collaboration,
which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, is to develop
innovative, soluble materials for use in large-area OLED components for applications such as
flat screens, electronic traffic signs or lighting systems.
OLEDs are solid-state devices composed of thin films of organic semiconductor molecules that
create light when electrical current is applied. OLED tiles are produced on glass plates or flexible
substrates and can emit white light that is more homogeneous and more energy-efficient than
the light from conventional fluorescent lamps. The main difference to inorganic light-emitting
diodes (LEDs) is their lower current density and laminar light density and the fact that no
crystalline materials are required. They consume little energy and offer sharp images from nearly
every viewing angle. By using ultra-thin luminescent layers, OLED technology makes it possible
OLED technology for more energy-
efficient light
Merck Annual Report 2010 80