Interview with Park Hee-dong, director of the Information Display Center and chairman of the Executive Committee of IMID 2009, and Drs. Kwon Oh-kyong.
Tell us about some papers submitted to the IMID 2009. What role will the upcoming IMID play?
Kwon: Of the 494 papers accepted, the largest number, or 69, of papers are about organic light-emitting diode displays, followed 52 on active-matrix devices, 49 on flexible and future displays, and e-paper, 46 on display materials, components and equipment, and 41 on 3D displays.
Much progress has been made in new technologies, such as LCD, OLED, AMOLED technologies. Large TV panel production lines will eventually be outsourced to China. Under these circumstances, we should keep staying ahead technologically after the development of the eighth-generation LCD production line. We hope that upcoming IMID will be a forum for cooperation among industry, academia and think tanks in Korea and cooperation with foreign countries.
Park: The KIDS will screen and select outstanding papers in two categories — basic original technology awards and Merck awards. The selection of the award-winning papers will be based on quality, originality and creativity, and technical advancement.
Q: What desired effects do you expect from the IMID 2009?
Park: We’re proud of the worldwide recognition the IMID is enjoying. Many papers on new technologies will be presented to the IMID. I think as far as display is concerned, seminars and exhibitions should go together. With Samsung and LG ranking top in the world, we hope new products will be introduced for the first time through IMID. Then seminars will win higher recognition.
Q: Would you elaborate on next-generation information displays?
Park: Two new special sessions are added to this year’s IMID – photovoltaics and device design to make the IMID more substantial.
As for the future trend in the display industry, inorganic compounds are used as materials for TFT-LCD glass panels. But the tendency is to replace the inorganic matters with organic ones and focus on making flexible displays. Many experts predict that by around 2012, flexible display will be put on the market. Another futuristic display is a system display with several integrated Smart functions, which will prove to be a more efficient device.
E-book based on the TFT-LCD glass panel is the only flexible display device in the market now. But creation of new applications with the flexible display is also under consideration.
Kwon: The concept of liquid crystal display was broached in the United States in the 1940s for the first time. People began thinking of turning it into commercial use in the 1960s. it was actually produced and put on the market in Japan in the 1980s. The concept of OLED was presented in the late 1980s and made for commercial use only a decade later. But such a period will be shortened in the future.
Flexible display, which has already been developed, can be put into commercial use in two to three years, only if mass production is possible.
Q: What are Korea’s strengths and weaknesses?
Kwon: Korea is strong on the manufacturing of LCD, PDP, and OLED, but weak on some materials and components. The United States, Japan and Europe are strong on developing materials. Of course, each country is strong on certain fields of components.
Full Interview: Koreaittimes
