Dye-based device sees the invisible

Tsukuba, Japan, Apr 16, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Scientists in Europe have designed an organic dye-based device that can see light waves in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) range. The device is easy to make using cheap materials, and is stable at high temperatures. The findings, published in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, could lead to more widespread use of inexpensive consumer SWIR imaging and sensing devices.

In the upconversion device, shortwave infrared (SWIR) light with wavelengths beyond 1,000 nm is absorbed by the squaraine dye in the photodetector (PD), producing electrical charges. Charges flow into the organic light-emitting diode (OLED), where they recombine under the emission of visible light. This way, SWIR light, which cannot be detected by the human eye, is converted into visible light.

The human eye can only detect a very narrow segment of the electromagnetic spectrum, from around 400 to 700 nanometers. The SWIR region, on the other hand, extends from 1,000 to 2,500 nanometers. Specially designed cameras can take images of objects that reflect waves in the SWIR region. They are used for improving night vision, in airborne remote sensing, and deep tissue imaging. The cameras also help assess the composition and quality of silicon wafers, building structures and even food produce.

"These cameras are typically difficult to manufacture and are quite expensive, as they are made of inorganic semiconductor photodiode arrays interconnected with read-out integrated circuitry," says Roland Hany of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology.

Hany worked with colleagues in Switzerland and Italy to design an organic dye-based 'SWIR upconversion device' that efficiently converts shortwave infrared light to visible light.

The device uses organic (materials made with carbon) components: a squaraine dye-coated flexible substrate combined with a fluorescent organic light-emitting diode (OLED). When the dye absorbs SWIR waves, an electric current is generated and directly converted into a visible image by the OLED.

The team had to play with the molecular composition of several squaraine dyes to get them to absorb specific wavelengths. Ultimately, they synthesized squaraine dyes that absorb SWIR light beyond 1,200 nanometers and remained stable up to 200 degrees Celsius. The finished dye-based device performed stably for several weeks under normal laboratory conditions.

"All-organic upconverters could lead to applications that can't be realized with current technology. For example, invisible night vision devices can be directly integrated into car windscreens without affecting the visual field," explains Hany.

The team is now working on shifting the dye's absorption further into the SWIR range. They are also using machine learning techniques to find new dye molecules capable of sensing SWIR waves. Finally, the team aims to improve device stability and sensitivity.

Further information
Roland Hany
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
Email: roland.hany@empa.ch

About Science and Technology of Advanced Materials Journal

Open access journal STAM publishes outstanding research articles across all aspects of materials science, including functional and structural materials, theoretical analyses, and properties of materials.

Dr. Yoshikazu Shinohara
STAM Publishing Director
Email: SHINOHARA.Yoshikazu@nims.go.jp

Press release distributed by ResearchSEA for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials.

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

BOE Varitronix and Himax Join Forces to Secure AMOLED Display Design-Win with a Leading New Energy Vehicle Maker

HONG KONG, Mar 31, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – BOE Varitronix Limited (HKEX: 710) ("BOE Varitronix or BOEVx"), a world leading supplier of automotive display products, and Himax Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: HIMX) ("Himax"), a leading supplier and fabless manufacturer of display drivers and other semiconductor products, today announced they joined forces to secure a flexible AMOLED automotive display solution design-win with a leading new energy vehicle ("NEV") maker. The solution has recently been applied to the customer's upcoming launch of a flagship NEV model.

BOEVx and Himax partnered to offer the next generation flexible AMOLED automotive display in a 12.8-inch Center Information Display product (CID), adopting the Himax AMOLED driver IC and timing controller (TCON) solution. The AMOLED driver enables superior user visual enjoyment from a state-of-the-art OLED display from BOEVx with vivid and colorful image performance as well as modish panel curvature which benefits from the AMOLED panel and driver in COF technology. The Himax TCON supports dual-gate and MUX2 panel structure, 180-degree rotation with embedded color engine, along with an industry leading panel failure detection feature for passenger safety.

AMOLED displays have gained traction in various applications and are becoming the technology of choice for the high-end market as they provide better display quality and greater design flexibility. Himax's flexible AMOLED display driver and TCON solution combined with BOEVx's world-leading AMOLED display have been successfully adopted into the latest NEV model of major car makers.

Besides automotive flexible AMOLED solution, Himax also offers comprehensive automotive product portfolios for TFT-LCD displays, including in-cell TDDI, display driver, local dimming TCON, and high-speed P2P bridge IC. All have been broadly adopted, directly or indirectly, by automotive display module makers, including BOEVx, and Tier-1 automotive manufacturers and car brands placing Himax as the leading automotive driver supplier of the world.

In recent years, the smart vehicles industry has seen accelerating growth with all major global brands emphasizing more human-vehicle interaction upgrades, creating a trend towards large, personalized and super high resolution smart cockpit displays. Over the years, BOEVx has been promoting innovation in the field of smart cockpit display solutions, and is committed to providing car users with a more convenient, more comfortable and smarter driving experience. Currently, BOEVx has launched an S-shaped curved flexible AMOLED with 300mm in curvature and in triple-display form that is capable of displaying cluster information, center information as well as passenger entertainment content at the same time.

"Himax has been a long-term partner providing comprehensive automotive display solutions for BOEVx with leading specifications and professional service," said Mr. Jack Su, Chief Executive Officer of BOEVx. "We are pleased to extend our deep cooperation and jointly develop the flexible AMOLED display solution in BOEVx's next evolution display design."

"The partnership with BOEVx allows us to promote Himax's innovative automotive display solutions as well as nurture our leading-edge AMOLED technology," said Mr. Jordan Wu, President and Chief Executive Officer of Himax. "We are delighted to further collaborate with BOEVx to launch advanced display solutions to the ever-growing car market, especially for NEV."

About BOE Varitronix Limited

BOEVx (HKEX: 710) provides comprehensive and one-stop solutions and products, including the design, manufacturing and sales of automotive displays, industrial displays, home appliance application displays, and medical product displays. It combines rigorous research and development, innovative product design, flexible specifications and efficient production to maximize customer satisfaction. With focuses on automotive display business and continuously strengthens its own capabilities to become the world's leading smart automotive display and solution provider, providing customers with one-stop services such as automotive integrated display system and smart automotive display system. Through its global sales network, the Company operates businesses in China, Europe, Korea, Japan, America and etc. With years of intensive cultivation of automotive display business and the trust of customers, it has become one of the leading automotive display suppliers and has established strategic cooperation with many well-known and NEV manufacturers. Based on strong foundation in display products and technologies, BOEVx continues to grow and aims to become a leading automotive cockpit display system solution provider.

https://www.boevx.com

About Himax Technologies, Inc.

Himax Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: HIMX) is a fabless semiconductor solution provider dedicated to display imaging processing technologies. We are a worldwide market leader in display driver ICs and timing controllers used in TVs, laptops, monitors, smartphone, tablets, automotive, digital cameras, car navigation, virtual reality (VR) devices and many other consumer electronics devices. Additionally, we design and provide controllers for touch sensor displays, in-cell Touch and Display Driver Integration (TDDI) single-chip solutions, LED driver ICs, power management ICs, and LCOS micro-displays for augmented reality (AR) devices and head-up displays (HUD) for automotive. We also offer CMOS image sensors, wafer level optics for AR devices, 3D sensing and ultralow power smart sensing, which are used in a wide variety of applications such as smartphone, tablet, laptop, TV, PC camera, automobile, security, medical devices, home appliance and AIoT. Founded in 2001 and Himax currently employs around 2,000 people. Himax has 3,016 patents granted and 550 patents pending approval worldwide as of February 28, 2021. Himax has retained its position as the leading display imaging processing semiconductor solution provider to consumer electronics brands worldwide.

http://www.himax.com.tw

Forward Looking Statements

Factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially include, but not limited to, general business and economic conditions and the state of the semiconductor industry; market acceptance and competitiveness of the driver and non-driver products developed by BOEVx and Himax; demand for end-use applications products; reliance on a small group of principal customers; the uncertainty of continued success in technological innovations; our ability to develop and protect our intellectual property; pricing pressures including declines in average selling prices; changes in customer order patterns; changes in estimated full-year effective tax rate; shortages in supply of key components; changes in environmental laws and regulations; exchange rate fluctuations; regulatory approvals for further investments in our subsidiaries; our ability to collect accounts receivable and manage inventory and other risks described from time to time in Himax's SEC filings, including those risks identified in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in its Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the SEC, as may be amended.

Company Contacts:
Edwin Siu, Investor Relations
BOE Varitronix Limited
Tel: +852-2197-6151
Fax: +852-2197-6162
Email: SiuEdwinCK@boevx.com
http://www.boevx.com

Eric Li, Chief IR/PR Officer
Himax Technologies, Inc.
Tel: +886-6-505-0880
Fax: +886-2-2314-0877
Email: hx_ir@himax.com.tw
www.himax.com.tw

Karen Tiao, Investor Relations
Himax Technologies, Inc.
Tel: +886-2-2370-3999
Fax: +886-2-2314-0877
Email: hx_ir@himax.com.tw
www.himax.com.tw

Mark Schwalenberg, Investor Relations
– US Representative
MZ North America
Tel: +1-312-261-6430
Email: HIMX@mzgroup.us
www.mzgroup.us

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Alltronics Records Strong Growth of FY2020 Revenue and Profit

HONG KONG, Mar 31, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Alltronics Holdings Limited ("Alltronics" or the "Group") (SEHK: 833), a leading electronic products manufacturer and provider of energy-saving business solutions, has announced its annual results for the year ended 31 December 2020 ("review year").

During the review year, the operating environment of the Group remained challenging with the global economy adversely affected by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. Although production and sales revenue of the Group were significantly affected in the first quarter of the year, the manufacturing operation managed to quickly resumed to normal came the second quarter and demand from customers continuously increased in the second half year. Revenue of the Group grew significantly by 74.8% to HK$2,203.8 million (2019: HK$1,260.8 million). Gross profit margin widened from 14.6% in 2019 to 18.8% in 2020, owed mainly to the significant increase in total sales revenue during the year and better control on production costs and overheads. Profit for the year attributable to owners of the Company turned around from a net loss to a net profit of HK$122.4 million (2019: loss of HK$262.0 million), on account of the increase in sales revenue and the absence of impact of impairment loss in the review year as oppose to the previous year.

Basic earnings per share of the review year were HK12.94 cents. In its appreciation for the shareholders' continuous support, the Board has proposed to declare the payment of a final dividend of HK2.0 cents per share.

Business Review and Prospects

The Group continued to focus on its electronic products business, which total sales revenue from finished electronic products, plastic moulds and components, and other components for electronic products amounted to HK$2,199.8 million (2019: HK$1,255.8 million) for the review year, up by an impressive 75.2% against the previous year. The rise in public health awareness amid the COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in demand for the Group's electrostatic disinfectant sprayers during the second half of 2020, pushing up sales of the product to HK$972.3 million (2019: HK$6.9 million). Sales of irrigation controller products also rose to HK$496.6 million (2019: HK$457.7 million). The Group believes electrostatic disinfectant sprayers and irrigation controllers will continue to be its dominant income streams in the year ahead.

As for the energy saving business segment, its total revenue for the year climbed to HK$2.6 million (2019: HK$1.6 million), mainly backed by the energy saving revenue generated from the retail stores of Suning.com Co., Ltd. ("Suning"). To focus more resources on its core manufacturing business, the Group has agreed with Suning to cease installation work at the retail stores of Suning. The Group also strategically offered a discount to Suning in order to secure a prompt settlement of all energy saving revenue. Discontinuing installation work at Suning stores has not resulted in any material impact on the overall operation and performance of the Group.

Looking ahead, the Group will continue to explore new markets and new customers to broaden its customer base, as well as look for opportunities for new electronic products with customers and potential customers so as to broaden its revenue base and maintain business growth momentum. The Group will also continue to tighten control over production costs and overheads, plus improve production efficiency, so as to enhance its overall gross profit margin.

Mr. Lam Yin Kee, Chairman of Alltronics, concluded, "2020 undoubtedly was a tough year for businesses in most industries. Although the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the unstable global economy will continue to pose threats to the operating environment, the Group is cautiously optimistic about its business performance in 2021. In the future, we will continue to focus on our core electronic products segment, put more resources and efforts into exploring opportunities for new products and projects with existing and potential customers, with the ultimate goal of providing better returns to shareholders."

About Alltronics Holdings Limited (Stock code: 833)
Alltronics Holdings Limited is mainly engaged in the design and manufacture of a wide range of electronic products with quality and style, supplying biodiesel products and energy efficient gas stoves, as well as the provision of energy-saving business solutions. The Company is a constituent stock of the Morgan Stanley Capital International ("MSCI") Hong Kong Micro Cap Index. For more information, please visit the company website
http://www.alltronics.com.hk/.

Media enquiries
Strategic Financial Relations Limited
Vicky Lee Tel.: +852 2864 4834 Email: vicky.lee@sprg.com.hk
Angela Wong Tel.: +852 2114 4953 Email: angela.wong@sprg.com.hk
Pinky Hui Tel.: +852 2114 2897 Email: pinky.hui@sprg.com.hk
Website: www.sprg.com.hk

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Putting a spin on Heusler alloys

Tsukuba, Japan, Mar 30, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – A study published in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials summarizes the major achievements made to-date in Heusler alloy research. "Our review article can serve as an ideal reference for researchers in magnetic materials," says Atsufumi Hirohata of the University of York, UK, who specializes in spintronics.

Spin 'batteries' use electron spins, instead of their charge, to power spintronic devices.

Spintronics, also known as spin electronics, is a field of applied physics that studies the use of electron spins, instead of their charge, to carry information in solid-state devices, with reduction in power consumption and improvements in memory and processing capabilities.

A category of materials showing great promise in this area is Heusler alloys: materials formed of one or two parts metal X, one part metal Y, and one part metal Z, each coming from a distinct part of the periodic table of elements. The interesting thing about these alloys is that individually, the metals are not magnetic, but when combined, they become magnetic.

A major advantage of Heusler alloys for spintronic devices is the ability to control their unique electrical and magnetic properties, which result directly from electron spins, by making changes to their crystalline structures. But this requires very high temperatures, which researchers want to reduce.

Over the last few decades, scientists have been working on approaches to grow Heusler alloy films at room temperature on special substrates with crystal lattices that are similar to the alloy's. The interaction between the two lattices can lead to the development of half-metallicity in the Heusler alloy, where only electrons spinning in one orientation are conducted through the material whereas those spinning in another are not.

Researchers need to be able to measure the properties of materials in order to conduct their investigations. The atomic structure of Heusler alloys can be directly observed by X-ray diffraction and indirectly measured through examining the relationship between the material's resistance to an electric current and temperature changes. Other techniques are also available for measuring their magnetic properties.

Hirohata and his colleagues are currently working on fabricating a metallic magnetic junction made of Heusler alloy films. These junctions are made from two ferromagnets separated by a thin insulator. When the insulating layer is thin enough, electrons are able to tunnel from one ferromagnet to the other. There is low resistance to electron movement as long as an external magnetic field is applied, but as soon as it is removed, the material becomes highly resistant to electron movement. "These devices are expected to replace currently used memory cells and magnetic sensors," says Hirohata. The team hopes to develop metallic magnetic junctions with much larger magnetoresistance than the current record at room temperature, realising a next-generation memory for a sustainable society.

Research paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14686996.2020.1812364

Further information
Atsufumi Hirohata
University of York
Email: atsufumi.hirohata@york.ac.uk

About Science and Technology of Advanced Materials Journal

Open access journal STAM publishes outstanding research articles across all aspects of materials science, including functional and structural materials, theoretical analyses, and properties of materials.

Chikashi Nishimura
STAM Publishing Director
Email: NISHIMURA.Chikashi@nims.go.jp

Press release distributed by ResearchSEA for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials.

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

BOE Varitronix Revenue Recorded 27%yoy Growth to HK$4,527 million, Continue to Develop Further in the Areas of Smart Cockpit Display

HONG KONG, Mar 29, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – 26 March 2021, BOE Varitronix Limited (the "Company") and its subsidiaries ("BOEVx" or the "Group") (710.HK), the world's leading smart automotive display and innovative solution provider announces its final results for the full year ended 31 December 2020. Leveraging on its momentum growth in automotive display business, the Group realized revenue of HK$4,527 million, an increase of 27% from last year's HK$3,574 million.

The increase in gross profit as driven by the increase in turnover, and the cost-optimizing and efficiency management actions implemented by the Group, EBITDA has increased by 30% from HK$166 million in 2019 to HK$216 million, the profit attributable to shareholders recorded a significant increase of approximately 174% from HK$25.0 million in 2019 to HK$68.6 million in 2020. BOE Varitronix's profitability has steadily improved, and the improvement in efficiency has achieved remarkable results.

During the year, in terms of product portfolio, the Group's Thin Film Transistor ("TFT") module business and touch panel display modules business continued to achieve remarkable growth and contributed over 75% of the Group's revenue while the revenue from monochrome display business decreased. The continuous optimization of the Group's product portfolio structure further enhances the Group's profitability.

In 2020, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought various degrees of impact to domestic and foreign economies. Through innovative products and services, BOE Varitronix is able to demonstrate its strong business resilience, while both automotive display business and industrial display business have recorded steady growths.

Significant Growth in Automotive Display Business with Surge in Sales Orders in the PRC Market

During the year, the Group's automotive display business has grown substantially, generated revenue of HK$3,450 million, 33% YOY growth, which was mainly contributed by the surge in sales orders in the PRC, Korea and Japan and the commencement of mass production of TFT display modules and touch panel modules during the year. This business represented approximately 76% of the Group's overall revenue.

According to the research conducted by a leading market research company, BOE Varitronix is currently one of the world's top three automotive display suppliers. With its leading position in automotive display business, the overall market share has been gradually increasing.

During the year, the PRC is the major growth engine of automotive display market share. For the PRC market, the Group stated that as the lockdown was gradually eased during the second quarter, customer sentiments in automobile purchasing has been increasing and automobile sales in the PRC started to rebound throughout the rest of the year and result in a rapid growth of customer order. Together with the scheduled commencement of mass production of TFT display and touch panel display modules projects for both conventional vehicles and new energy vehicles ("NEVs"), the Group's PRC automotive business has recorded a notable growth in 2020. The Group has achieved over 30% of market share in automotive TFT display for top 20 PRC automobile manufacturers.

BOE Varitronix currently has engaged in the strategic cooperation with major automobile manufacturers in the PRC and Tier-1 manufacturers, as well as launching cooperation with NEVs manufacturers in China. According to the statistics by the Group, BOE Varitronix has achieved over 30% of market share in automotive TFT display for major PRC NEVs manufacturers.

Although, the COVID-19 has brought certain impact to the macroeconomic environment, the accelerated development of smart automotive industry has generated a high demand for automotive display, which has provided opportunities for the substantial growth of BOE Varitronix automotive display business.

Industrial Display Business Stably Grown with Expansion in High-end Customers

Industrial Display is the second largest business of the Group. During the year, the Group has continued to promote its display business to industrial and high-end customers. The industrial display business generated revenue of HK$1,077 million, 9% YOY. This business represented approximately 24% of the Group's overall revenue.

With the increase in consumer demand for information and the rise of Internet of Things ("IoT"), industrial clients prefer TFT module more. The sales of TFT display modules in education-related application in the PRC market and the ramping up of demand from a world-renowned high-end home appliance brand based in the United Kingdom have increased, which resulted in the growth of industrial display business.

Meanwhile, BOE Varitronix has been promoting distinctive Versi-color IBN cell and IBN-TFT hybrid display, as well as promoting the TFT display modules to customers in the high-end white-goods consumer sector in Europe. The Group is determined to grasp the opportunities for growth in industrial display business.

Creating Roadmap for Smart Cockpit Display to Seize Market Opportunities

As NEVs and autonomous driving technology are in the forefront of development, the ever-increasing trend of automotive intelligence and interconnection has indirectly driven the development and growth of automotive display market. The innovation of smart cockpit display, which has been widely adopted in instrument cluster, center information display, rear seat infotainment etc., is facing an enormous growth.

Under the positive momentum of the industry, the technical team of BOE Varitronix has been utilizing its fruitful experience in automotive display, large-sized display and integrated software and hardware system to accelerate towards the technology trend of large-sized automotive display and smart cockpit intelligence.

In order to strengthen the capabilities in larger-sized curved display, the Group has invested in optical bonding facilities together with a PRC renowned software group whose businesses cover the field of intelligent vehicle connectivity. New production lines will commence its production in the first half of 2021.

The Group has also increased investment in Shenzhen Jiangcheng Technology Co., Ltd in the first quarter of 2021 and reached a capital increase agreement to raise additional funding to support the on-going development in augmented reality head-up display ("AR-HUD") and HUD related technologies and products.

In terms of visual display experience, the Group has been working with the eco-system partners, customers and also BOE Group to enhance the visual display experience through new technologies application. The use of AMOLED, Black Diamond Cell ("BD cell"), large-sized integrated curve display, high resolution 4K 3D display in automobile display can greatly enhance drivers' and passengers' immersive experience in car journey

BOE Varitronix stated that, the Group is dedicated to focus on the investment in smart cockpit display system, and to closely work with our automotive eco-system partners along the fast-developing track of the automotive value-chain, which will eventually lead the Group to become one of the leading integrated smart cockpit display system solution providers in the industry.

Date: 29 March 2021

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Solomon Systech (International) Limited Makes Significant Progress in 2020 Annual Results

HONG KONG, Mar 23, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Solomon Systech (International) Limited (the "Company"; SEHK: 2878) announced today its annual results of the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Group") for the year ended 31 December 2020, recorded an encouraging results of turnaround with a profit attributable to owners of the parent of US$11.7 million, the turnaround in the year 2020 was mainly attributable to the increases in the average gross profit margin and the gross profit amount from the change in product type mix recorded in revenue and decrease in operating expenses. Total revenue achieved a significant increase of 12% to US$121.3 million. The Group's total shipments recorded a steady growth of 22.9% to approximately 379.4 million units. Gross profit jumped by 68.1% to US$35.8 million year-on-year. And the gross margin reached 29.6%, representing a growth of 9.9 percentage points. The overall book-to-bill ratio was 1.4.

Financial Highlights:
— Revenue increased by approximately 12.0% to US$121.3 million.
— Gross profit was US$35.8 million, jumped by 68.1%.
— Gross margin was 29.6%, increased 9.9% points.
— Profit attributable to owners of the parent was US$11.7 million, turnaround from loss of US$27.3 million.
— Earnings per share was 0.5 US cent (3.9 HK cents).
— Book-to-bill ratio was 1.4.
— The Board proposed a final dividend per share of 0.8 HK cent (approximately 0.1 US cent) for the year ended 31 December 2020.

Business Review
The Advanced Display ("AD") products include PMOLED displays, bistable products, micro-LED/mini-LED products and OLED lighting products. During the period under review, the COVID-19 pandemic (the "Pandemic") has triggered the demand for healthcare products worldwide, which was translated into increased orders for portable healthcare devices and related applications for the Group's PMOLED display driver ICs, and thereby has changed the mix of the AD products. The total unit shipments of the AD products during the period under review registered a double-digit growth of around 82.2% to approximately 245.8 million units.

To capitalize on the growing potential of smart home appliances market under the rising trend of Artificial Intelligence of Things ("AIoT"), the Group has successfully achieved related design-in projects, including smart electric toothbrush and smart thermostat electric kettle, etc.

In view of dynamic shifts in global overseas retail market conditions, the Group shifted its focus to promote its new bistable display driver IC for medium-sized ESL panels of 2.6 inches to 4 inches used at mega stores in the second half of 2020, eyeing on the markets of Europe and the U.S. Over the years, the Group has made significant progress through strategic collaborations with leading companies. In the reporting period, the Group has received orders that paved the way for applying mini-LED technology to mass production.

The Group's Large Display ("LD") products include large panel TFT LCD display driver ICs developed for TVs, monitors and other applications. Revenue from TVs products had also slowed down in the first quarter of 2020 due to the Pandemic, which was rebounded in the second quarter owing to strong work-from-home demand. At the same time, high speed point-to-point ("P2P") display driver IC for the 165Hz high refresh rate gaming monitor and 8K TV markets was launched during the reporting period. The Group has developed a foundry-sourcing strategy, so as to cope with capacity constraint of LD product lines and facilitate its future business growth.

In addition to AD and LD products, the Group also offers another range of products, which includes: Mobile Display ("MD") products such as In-Cell TDDI ICs, TFT display driver ICs and MIPI bridge ICs; and Mobile Touch ("MT") products including LCD touch controller ICs (Out-Cell/On-Cell), etc. The unit shipments of this category of products saw an increase of approximately 6.8% year-on-year to around 54.7 million units. The revenue target of this category of products was achieved by seizing the opportunities in this period. Notwithstanding the Pandemic has impacted the demand of consumer electronic products worldwide in 2020, the demand for mobile devices in China and the consumer sentiment have gradually recovered starting from the second half of 2020, which ultimately helped boost revenue from MD in relation to TDDI and DDI.

Furthermore, demand derived from specific customer segments, such as video games related products, in contrast boomed due to the Pandemic. The MT IC, the product line which supported game consoles, was one of the product lines that most benefited in the reporting period. As a result, the sales forecast for the reporting period could be achieved in conjunction with a number of design wins in these segments.

Prospects
Despite the fact that the lingering uncertainties in the global economy and supply chain may continue to weigh on the Group's business as a whole, the AD business is expected to continue its strong growth. A number of new products and design win projects are expected to start contributing to the Group's revenue. For instance, its custom ICs are going to be widely used in digital signage benefiting both the AD and MD businesses.

For AD products, the Group's key innovation of the PMOLED (Touch + Display) TDDI IC, SSD7317, is anticipated to enter mass production in smart home appliances and contribute to the revenue stream. The Group also strives to capitalize on the growth potentials of smart home appliances and AIoT with grayscale displays. Meanwhile, Group's bistable display driver IC business, bolstered by the constant development in retail automation and wide commercial applications spanning across logistics and signage demonstration, is set to continue its strong growth momentum in 2021. The Group has put in efforts in developing a new generation bistable color display IC that supports multiple colors, so as to unleash new potential for business growth. The Group's resources will be devoted to working with market leading micro-LED/mini-LED panel manufacturers to develop more new ICs with technological breakthroughs plus fulfilling the market needs. These new products are expected to be launched in the first half of 2021.

The Group's LD driver IC business, the P2P product focusing on gaming monitors will be in demand with high growth potential in 2021. The major challenge is the capacity support on wafers for the overall large size DDI products. The Group will strive to fully utilize the wafer usage and backend capacity, not only to meet the needs of customers, but also achieve the Group's long-term business goals.

For MD business, the Group's MIPI, TDDI and DDI products will be in demand due to the signs of China's economic recovery and 5G adoption. Customers have placed orders early with a view to securing the provision of support. MD business will continue to grow and to prosper with enhanced capacity and the support from the cohesive factory partners in 2021.

Mr. Raymond Wang, Chief Executive Officer of Solomon Systech (International) Limited, said, "Although economies worldwide have been impacted by the Pandemic, thanks to the contribution efforts of our employees and management team, we have experienced a business turnaround, that has been welcomed by our stakeholders, at the same time increasing average gross profit margin and a decrease in operating expenses.

In line with our business development strategy, we adopted the Chinese name 'Solomon Systech (International) Limited' as the dual foreign name of the Company in late 2020. The Chinese name 'Solomon Systech (International) Limited' is indicative of our core businesses, and highlights the Company's leading position within the semiconductor industry.

Going forward, we believe the unique positioning of our Company will enable us to gain an advantage as we face current economic circumstances. Staying in step with today's dynamic high-tech revolution, we have created a tactical plan on stimulating the developments of micro-LED, Electronic Shelf Label, high-speed interface and the P2P display driver IC for the high-end 8K TV markets in the years ahead. With our strong balance sheet, we are well placed to successfully overcome the current economic downturn period and to take advantage of new opportunities in the future. We will continue to lead the semiconductor industry by optimising stakeholders' interests and maximise value for them."

Media Enquiry:
Carol Hui
Corporate Communications Manager
Solomon Systech (International) Limited
Tel: (852) 2207 1672 / 6177 7344
Fax: (852) 2207 1372
Email: carolhui@solomon-systech.com

Ivy Chen
Account Manager
Porda Havas International Finance Communications Group
Tel: (852) 3150 6720 / 6355 8773
Fax: (852) 3150 6728
Email: i.chen@pordahavas.com

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Size matters: Bimodal imaging receives nanoparticle enhancement

Tsukuba, Japan, Mar 10, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Scientists have found a way to control the size of special nanoparticles to optimize their use for both magnetic resonance and near-infrared imaging. Their approach could help surgeons use the same nanoparticles to visualize tumours just before and then during surgery using the two different imaging techniques. Their findings were published in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials.

The scientists injected the nanoparticle solution into the tail veins of live mice and were able to obtain high quality MRI (L) and near-infrared fluorescence (R) scans of tissues and blood vessels.

"Magnetic resonance imaging is routinely used in pre-operative diagnosis, while surgeons have started using near-infrared fluorescence imaging during surgical procedures," says nanobiotechnologist Kyohei Okubo of Tokyo University of Science. "Our nanoparticle probes could provide a bimodality that will be clinically appealing to medical device researchers and doctors."

Ceramic nanoparticles made with the rare earth metals ytterbium (Yb) and erbium (Er) have demonstrated low toxicity and prolonged near-infrared luminescence, showing promise as a contrast agent in MRI scans and a fluorescing agent for near-infrared fluorescence imaging. Images of blood vessels and organs in live bodies can be obtained with the two imaging techniques by further modifying the nanoparticle surfaces with polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based polymers. But to improve image resolution, scientists need to have more control over nanoparticle size during the fabrication process.

Okubo and his colleagues used a step-by-step fabrication process that starts with mixing rare earth oxides in water and trifluoracetic acid. The mixture is heated to form a solid. Then it is dissolved in solution, oleic acid is added and gas is removed. So-called rare-earth-doped ceramic nanoparticles form when this solution is cooled.

A few more steps lead to the coating of the nanoparticle surfaces with PEG. The scientists found they could slow the growth rate of the nanoparticles by increasing their concentration before the coating process. This allowed them to form nanoparticles 15 and 45 nanometres in diameter.

The team conducted a series of tests to examine the properties of their nanoparticles. They found that they could be used for obtaining high-quality images of blood vessels in live mice using MRI and near-infrared fluorescence imaging techniques. Further tests showed the nanoparticles exhibited minimal toxicity on mouse fibroblast cells when used in low concentrations. They also have a short half-life, meaning they would be cleared relatively quickly from the body, making them safe for clinical use.

The team next aims to investigate how different distributions of paramagnetic ions on the nanoparticles affect their magnetic properties. They also aim to study whether modifications made to the nanoparticles could make them applicable for use in light-based 'photodynamic' therapies for treating skin cancers and acne, for example.

Further information
Kyohei Okubo
Tokyo University of Science
Email: kyohei.okubo@rs.tus.ac.jp

About Science and Technology of Advanced Materials Journal

Open access journal STAM publishes outstanding research articles across all aspects of materials science, including functional and structural materials, theoretical analyses, and properties of materials.

Chikashi Nishimura
STAM Publishing Director
Email: NISHIMURA.Chikashi@nims.go.jp

Press release distributed by ResearchSEA for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials.

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UNISOC and Ericsson Complete 5G NR 700MHz DL 4×4 MIMO Tests

SHANGHAI, Mar 8, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – As a leading global supplier of mobile communications chipsets and IoT chipsets, UNISOC, a core subsidiary of Unigroup, together with Ericsson, has successfully completed the 5G SA NR 700MHz downlink 4×4 MIMO test compliant with 3GPP R15 specifications. The latest Interoperability Development Testing (IoDT) was carried out at Ericsson Beijing Lab on Ericsson's 700MHz 4T4R wireless network and 5G Customer Premise Equipment with UNISOC's 5G chipset V510 inside.

Based on the 5G CPE with UNISOC V510 chipset inside and Ericsson n28 frequency band network, the average peak of download rate could reach more than 600 Mbps. The results of the interoperability test, which were much higher than 700MHz 1T2R commercial mobile phones, broke the record for 5G network downlink peak rate under the sub-1GHz low frequency band, expanding the application field of 5G low frequency.

"The collaboration between Ericsson and UNISOC on 5G NR 700MHz extends the 700 MHz ecosystem from cellphones to a wider range of terminal forms including CPE, providing more scenarios for the use of 700 MHz in China and the global commercial market," said Peng Junjiang, General Manager of the Research and Development Department of Ericsson in Northeast Asia.

Xia Xiaofei, Vice President of the UNISOC Market Management Department, said: "The successful interoperability test of the downlink 4×4 MIMO in the 700MHz frequency band will support operators to deploy new 5G NR network more efficiently. We will continue to deepen cooperation with Ericsson and accelerate the commercialization of global 5G networks. Together, we will contribute to the growth of 5G industry."

UNISOC has launched a number of 5G chipsets, including the world's first 6nm EUV 5G SoC, the UNISOC T7520, UNISOC's first 5G baseband chip based on Makalu communication technology platform, the UNISOC V510, and its first 5G smartphone solution, the UNISOC T7510. The UNISOC 5G chipset solution has now completed interoperability testing with 5G infrastructure vendors, as well as 5G chip authentication, enabling UNISOC-powered 5G terminal adaptability across mobile operator world networks. See www.unisoc.com.

Media contact:
UNISOC Technologies Co., Ltd
Contact: Yueying Tang, PR Team
E-mail: yueying.tang@unisoc.com

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Amber Solutions Closes 2020 With Series B Funding Totaling More Than $8.5 Million

DUBLIN, CALIFORNIA , Jan 25, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Amber Solutions, the young Silicon Valley company that is making the digital control of electricity in solid-state architecture a commercial reality, today announced that its 2020 series B funding round raised more than $8.5 million from new and existing investors, following a successful year of secured patents, partner discussions and multiple industry award wins.

According to Amber Founder and CEO Thar Casey, the company's progress in 2020 is all the more remarkable given the challenges posed to the business by the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns that prevented most, if not all, in person product demonstrations.

"2020 presented a challenging business climate, but our commitment to revolutionize the world's building electrical infrastructure helped Amber enter 2021 with increased investment, new patents, as well as multiple industry award wins and nominations," Casey said. "Amber's progress is a sign of the accelerating demand from major electrical product manufacturers for solid-state electrification technologies and its ability to completely disrupt and transform the enormous global market for electrical products and services."

In addition to securing patents related to a digital AC/DC Enabler, an AC switch, a digital method to sense ground faults, and super-efficient LED light fixtures in 2020, Amber started 2021 as a BIG Innovations 2021 Award winner, a CES 2021 Innovations Award honoree, and is currently a 2021 Edison Award nominee.

Amber's core innovation is a programmable solid-state power system that has a clear path to an even-smaller silicon chip version. Amber's system controls the flow of electricity digitally, enabling unique integration of modern intelligence into building electrical products and infrastructure. The solution introduces the world to a much safer, more reliable and dramatically smarter alternative to the 1970's era electro-mechanical components that are used in nearly all modern electrical infrastructure products.

"Amber's patents and innovations are rapidly driving demand for the development of intelligent solid-state based products including two-wire dimmer switches, ultra-efficient commercial LED light fixtures, smart light switches, smart outlets, smart circuit breakers, and more," Casey added. "Based on heightened industry interest, growing investments and ever-increasing energy efficiency goals around the globe, we believe 2021 will be the year solid-state electrification moves from validation to commercialization and mainstream productization."

About Amber Solutions

Amber Solutions is a leading developer of patented, innovative solid-state technologies for the digital control of electricity. The company's disruptive breakthroughs change the electrical landscape forever for buildings and appliances world-wide. These technologies upgrade power management from 1950's era electro-mechanical to safer, more reliable solid-state architecture with embedded intelligence. Based in Dublin, California, the company is leveraging the expertise of Silicon Valley professionals to deliver a disruptive enhancement to the value and functionality of the world's electrical endpoints and infrastructure. For more information visit www.ambersi.com.

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World Champion! UNISOC Tops the Tables at the MOT20 Challenge

SHANGHAI, Jan 25, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – On January 19, 2021, at the internationally authoritative MOT20 Challenge (the benchmark for Multiple Object Tracking), the Multimedia Lab UNISOC algorithm outshone, exceeding 70 on the MOTA index, and wins the global championship! And its the only algorithm with more than 70 points on the MOT20 leaderboards, showing that champ UNISOC has taken the leading position in the field of multiple object tracking.

MOT Challenge, the most authoritative evaluation platform for multi-object tracking, was co-founded by Technical University of Munich, the University of Adelaide, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and the Technical University of Darmstadt. Participants in the competition include relevant teams from the University of Oxford, Carnegie Mellon University, Tsinghua University, Technical University of Munich, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Microsoft and many other companies, universities and scientific research institutions.

MOT20-08 Sequence Result Display

The MOT Challenge provides highly accurate annotation data and comprehensive evaluation indexes to evaluate the performance of tracking algorithms and pedestrian detectors. The MOT20 benchmark contains 8 new video sequences, all extremely challenging scenarios. This dataset was first released at the 2019 MOT Challenge Workshop, with an average of 246 pedestrians per frame. A night sequence is added, presenting a challenge to existing MOT algorithms in resolving extremely dense scenarios, algorithm generalization, etc.

UNISOC delivers innovation in its algorithm for network structure design, loss function, training data processing, and others. For scenarios not involved in the training set in the competition, UNISOC adopts end-to-end simultaneous detection and pedestrian recognition strategies to ensure real-time performance of the algorithm when it is actually implemented. The network size can be flexibly adjusted for different end-side computing power, and deployment of multiple chip solutions can be flexibly matched.

As a key technology for surveillance, vehicles, UAVs and live events, multi-object tracking technology can accurately capture the key information in the video and provide support for further information extraction. It will be widely used in the fields of smart cities, the Internet of Things, etc.

In intelligent surveillance scenarios, the algorithm can automatically identify, track, and extract the target from complex scenes, understand the active state of the target, and then realize the scene state monitoring and recognition. The application of multi-object tracking technology can greatly reduce repetitive manual work, and improve work efficiency, the intelligence and security of the monitoring system.

In live event scenarios, the algorithm can automatically extract the athletes' motion state, so as to realize the functions of data statistics, automatic broadcast and so on, mining more data value. In the smart vehicle scenarios, the algorithm can obtain the movement information of vehicles and pedestrians on the road, and provide necessary decision data support for applications such as automatic driving, safety assistance, etc.

Image algorithms are being deeply integrated into more and more vertical industries, forming multiplier effects, generating innovative businesses and applications that make people's lives better and more convenient. Visit the MOT Challenge official website at https://motchallenge.net/results/MOT20/.

About UNISOC
UNISOC is a leading fabless semiconductor company committed to R&D in core chipsets for mobile communications and IoT. With 4,500 staff, 17 R&D centres, and 7 customer support centres in locations around the world, UNISOC is one of the largest chipset providers for IoT and connectivity devices in China, a global top 3 mobile chipset supplier, and the leading 5G company in the world. Please visit http://www.unisoc.com.

Media Contact
Company: UNISOC Technologies Co., Ltd
Contact: Yueying Tang, PR Team
E-mail: yueying.tang@unisoc.com

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