Martin Schadt

Martin Schadt ( born August 16, 1938 in Liestal ) is a Swiss physicist and pioneer in the field of liquid crystal displays.

Biography

Martin Schadt studied physics at the University of Basel, where he received his doctorate in 1967. Thanks to a two-year post -doctoral fellowships at the National Research Council of Canada ( NRCC ) in Ottawa, he explored the electronic and optical properties of organic semiconductors. During his stay at the NRCC he invented and patented the first organic light-emitting diode ( OLED) with solid-state electrodes.

In 1969 he worked for the watch company Omega SA, at the Laboratoire Suisse de Recherche Horlogère in Neuchatel, in the development of the hydrogen maser (hydrogen maser clock ). In 1970 he joined the newly formed liquid crystal research group in the central research laboratories of F. Hoffmann -La Roche Ltd. , Basel, Switzerland. With the exception of two years of research in the field of biophysics, the work of Martin Schadt focused on the study of electro- optical effects in liquid crystals with the aim of novel flat electronic displays (displays) and materials to generate.

1970 invented and patented Martin Schadt and Wolfgang Helfrich in the central research laboratories of F. Hoffmann -La Roche, the twisted nematic (TN) effect ( rotation cells effect, see Schadt -Helfrich cell). The patent was licensed by Roche worldwide to watch and electronics industry. It meant a paradigm shift for flat liquid crystal displays ( liquid crystal display ) and established a new industry. In the early 1970s, Martin Schadt began with the systematic study of the connections between optical, electrical and mechanical material properties of liquid crystals, molecular structures and display properties. The aim was a better understanding of the molecular and macroscopic contexts. This enabled new TN liquid crystals, and other field-effect LCDs are discovered. His interdisciplinary approach, the integrated physics and chemistry, formed the basis for the modern industrial liquid crystal research and led to the invention and production of a variety of new liquid crystals and electro- optical effects.

In 1970, shortly after the invention of the TN- effect, Schadt developed the first commercial liquid crystal mixture of positive dielectric anisotropy, which was liquid crystalline at room temperature and was used in the first Japanese TN- LCD quartz watches. The pharmaceutical company Roche has established itself in a row as one of the main suppliers of liquid crystals for the rapidly developing LCD industry. In 1996, Merck, the entire liquid crystal business from Hoffmann -La Roche.

Apart from his work on the TN- effect and new liquid crystals Schadt has discovered the following effects and made usable or was involved:

  • First organic light emitting diode ( OLED); 1969 as a post-doctoral researcher at the Canadian NRC; U.S. Patent 3,621,321
  • Kerr effect in liquid crystals (1972 )
  • Field -induced guest-host color switching (1979 )
  • Dual-frequency addressing ( dual frequency addressing ) of LCDs and LCs (1982 )
  • Optical mode interference OMI effect ( 1987)
  • Deformed helix ferroelectric DHF and short pitch bi -stable ferroelectric SBF- effects (1989, 1990)
  • Linear photopolymerization LPP Technology ( 1991)

The main inventor and leader of the Roche- liquid crystal research promoted and developed Schadt, the LPP - photo- orientation technology to production ( 1992-2002). This key technology enables contact-free orientation of monomeric and polymeric liquid crystals on surfaces by light rather than mechanically. This enables both new LCD configurations and a wide range of new type of integrated optical thin films. Examples include interference color filters, optical retarders, cholesteric band-pass filter, films for widening the viewing direction range of LCDs, stereo polarizers, nano -and micro - structured polymer films with anti-reflective and / or directed light - scattering properties, and novel optical security elements for document and brand protection.

The molecular design approach of Martin Schadt and his team led to the invention, patenting and production of the following commercially important liquid crystals: cyano - alkyl Schiff bases and esters ( 1971); Phenyl- pyrimidines (1977); Alkenyl liquid crystals, the key compounds for the realization of highly informative LCDs (1985-1995); numerous halogenated liquid crystals (1989-1995); In addition, the first nonlinear optical (NLO ) ferroelectric liquid crystal (1992).

Until 1994 Schadt was head of liquid crystal research by F. Hoffmann -La Roche. As a spin -off from Hoffmann- La Roche in 1994 he founded the interdisciplinary research and development company Rolic Ltd.. Until his resignation from the operating business in October 2002 Schadt was Managing Director and CEO of Rolic. In 2005 he resigned his Rolic mandates. He is now working as a scientific consultant for various research groups and government agencies.

Awards

  • Roche Research and Development Prize, 1986: For his decisive Contributions to the knowledge of liquid crystal materials, Their physical properties and electro -optics Which have Formed a basis for the breakthrough of a new display technology. His work led to a new Has class of marketable products and to the scientific reputation of Roche in a new field.
  • Special Recognition Award of the American Society Information Display ( SID ), 1987: For significant and continuing Contributions to the theory and reduction to practice of high information content liquid crystal displays.
  • Karl Ferdinand Braun Prize, the most prestigious award of the SID, 1992: For his outstanding and sustained scientific and technical Contributions to the development of twisted nematic liquid crystal display and other technologies
  • Aachener und Münchener Prize of Engineering and Applied Science at the Carl- Pastor Arthur Foundation, 1994, to Martin Schadt and Wolfgang Helfrich. For the pioneering invention of the liquid crystal display as a key component of information technology
  • Robert Wichard Pohl Prize of the German Physical Society, 1996, Wolfgang Helfrich and Martin Schadt: In recognition of their invention and development of liquid crystal displays ( LCD Liquid Crystal Displays ).
  • IEEE Jun- ichi Nishizawa Medal - 2008: Together with Wolfgang Helfrich and James Fergason for fundamental developments in the technology of the nematic twist cell ( Schadt -Helfrich cell).
  • Eduard Rhein Technology Award 2009 for outstanding and internationally recognized achievements in the field of novel electro-optical functional principles for use in flat panel displays, as well as related materials and device concepts, in particular for the Miterfindung of twisted nematic liquid crystal effect - the key core technology for the success of liquid crystal screens - as well as numerous other liquid effects and technology of linear photopolymerization.
  • George W. Gray Medal of the British Liquid Crystal Society, 2010 for the invention of the first OLED in 1969, for the Kerr effect in liquid crystals in 1972, for the two- frequency addressing of LCDs in 1982, for the ferroelectric deformed helix effect ( DHF) 1989, the pioneering work on the optical orientation and structure of liquid crystals and liquid crystalline polymers (linear photo - polymerization technology) and the molecular design of new classes of commercially relevant liquid crystals.
  • Blaise Pascal Medal in materials science at the European Academy of Sciences, 2010. In recognition of his pioneering contributions to the development of liquid crystal displays and materials.
  • Fellow Award of the European Academy of Sciences ( 2011)
  • Frederiks Medal ( 2011), the highest award of the Russian Liquid Crystal Society for outstanding contributions to the physics of liquid crystals.
  • Charles Stark Draper Prize (2012 ), Award of the National Academy of Engineering, USA
  • European Inventor Award (2013 ), Award for Lifetime Achievement

Publications and Patents

Swell

  • M. Schadt: Milestones in the History of Field - Effect Liquid Crystal Displays and material. In: Jpn J Appl Phys. 48 (2009 ), pp. 1-9.
  • Technology Award - Technology Award 2009 University of Koblenz
  • Martin Schadt 2006/2007
National Research Council (Canada) Electro-optics Twisted nematic field effect Retarder (mechanical engineering) Nonlinear optics Corporate spin-off IEEE Jun-ichi Nishizawa Medal
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