Merck has set up an R&D lab and related production lines in Taiwan to develop and produce inkjet printing OLED materials targeting medium-size display applications, according to John Lee, newly appointed chairman of Merck Taiwan.

Lee's appointment will come into effect on January 1, 2021, replacing incumbent chairman Dick Hsieh, who is retiring after serving at Merck for 34 years.

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the process of digital transformation ramping up data traffic by 20% worldwide, and applications related to 5G, AI, IoT, data service and flexible display products have been greatly affected by the emerging technology trend, Lee said.

OLED displays are thin and flexible and can be easily integrated with sensing devices, Lee said, noting that such a combination could create new possibilities for display products, while also furthering the semiconductor technology.

Samsung Display is developing OLED displays for small-size applications using RGB side by side technology, and LG Display is utilizing WOLED technology plus color filters for large-size applications. Lee believes there is room for developing mid-size applications using inkjet printing OLED technology targeting clients in Taiwan and China.

In addition to advancing inkjet printing OLED technology, Merck is also developing crystal smart broadband antennas for the commercial LEO (low earth orbit) satellite communication market, Lee revealed.

While noticing that current supplies of LCD panels are falling short of demand due to the tight supply of some upstream materials and components such as driver ICs, glass substrates, and polarizers, Merck said its supply of crystal products remains sufficient, and the order pull-ins from Taiwan's panel makers are about 10% higher in second-half 2020 as compared to the first half.

By DIGITIMES