With our innovative liquid crystal mixtures for Polymer-Stabilized Vertical Alignment (PS-VA) applications, we further expanded our technology leadership. PS-VA is increasingly becoming the preferred technology for high-quality displays. It is successively replacing conventional Vertical Alignment (VA) technology, the dominant LCD-TV technology developed by Merck a number of years ago now facing unabated, strong competitive pressure. With VA technology, slits in the electrodes or microscopic three-dimensional protrusions, allow the liquid crystals to align in the correct direction when they are switched. With PS-VA, a polymer layer within the display allows the molecules to be pre-oriented in a certain direction. In the black state, the liquid crystals are not vertical, but slightly tilted: The tilt locally predefines the liquid crystal switching direction. This results in extremely rapid switching times, which are enormously important for displaying lifelike moving images. Besides improved moving picture quality, the technical advantages of PS-VA are faster switching times, higher contrast and better light transmittance. These features reduce the required backlight power, which is both one of the most expensive display components to produce and the biggest power consumer during operation.
PS-VA technology opens up new possibilities for LCD producers to achieve previously unattained screen properties. In an LCD television incorporating PS-VA materials from Merck, the colors appear fuller, warmer, and more natural. In addition, the spatial depth of the display is greater, and movements are livelier. In Taiwan, Korea and Japan, this technology is already being used in mass production.
The term LED TVs is used to describe televisions in which only the backlight consists of LEDs (light-emitting diodes), thus achieving better picture contrast and brightness, 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. The advantages of LED and LCD are combined in this way. Further significant advantages include the low energy consumption and slim design of flat screens.
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