Merck is to present its expanded product range at SID 2015 (stand 224), using its own LCD materials, as well as new specialised materials from the acquisition of AZ Electronic Materials.
Ultra-bright fringe field switching (UB FFS) technology will be on show. UB FFS supports the trend towards high-resolution displays with high light transmission, enabling up to 15% more light to be passed through from the backlight.
Merck is also developing new technologies, such as ‘Blue Phase’, which does not require any orientation layers and so is intended to simplify liquid crystal manufacture. Blue Phase technology also enables faster (sub-1ms) switching times and higher contrast ratios. Other technologies include ‘Uniform Lying Helix’, with a new switching mechanism based on LC’s flexoelectric properties; and SA-VA, which optimises the display manufacturing process.
Merck is now able to offer its customers new photoresists, for the manufacture of LCD displays. These products are augmented with silicon-based materials such as polysiloxanes. These can be used as planarisation layers and/or low-k dielectrics for high-resolution displays. Another material group, low temperature processable polysilazanes, are in an advanced stage of qualification for use as barrier coatings on plastic substrates, or as thin film barrier layers for OLED displays and lighting applications.
In terms of OLEDs, under the Livilux brand, Merck is offering products for electron and hole transport; matrix materials; and emitters for evaporation and printing processes.
Quantum materials are another area of work for Merck. The company will be showing its ‘quantum dots’ (actually quantum rods), developed with Qlight Nanotech.
Finally, Merck will showcase LED phosphors for display and lighting applications and liquid crystals for non-display use.
