In recent years CD-R has become the most popular recording media. However, whilst it is an all-purpose media, it has come to light that those media capacities differ depending on the materials involved and the disk design. Phthalocyanine Dyes, developed jointly with Ricoh Co., Ltd, are superb for high-speed recording and information storage. We have launched media with high levels of reliability and compatibility into the marketplace.Developmental research into Optical recording dyes has already made CD-Rs and DVD-Rs practicable. This same research is also contributing to the continued development of DVD-R using high capacity blue lasers. We are also working on the next generation by researching high capacity and high speed compatibility using Photon Mode recording. We have high expectations for Optical recording dyes. 　　
In recent years, flat panel displays (FPD) have developed dramatically. Several functional dyes are used in FPDs. Besides the obvious RGB colors used in liquid crystal display color filters, there are dyes that have important functions in less obvious areas. Near infrared dyes are used in plasma displays to cut short infrared waves that block infrared remote controllers. Also to increase high definition imaging, dyes with selected wavelength absorption are used to cut all other light outside the RGB primary colors. These dyes have characteristics that are much in demand, such as light distribution capabilities, light resistance and solubility.
Our company develops functional Dyes based on the specific specialist properties required.
Photochromism is the reversible formation, due to light absorption, between two different observable spectra with no change in molecular weight. Professor MASAHIRO IRIE developed diarylethene compound, which has excellent heat constancy and photochromic characteristics. In the area of optical electronics, practical research in Photon Mode Optical recording, light switching, etc. has increased the hopes of using diarylethene to develop a functional molecular device through Nanotechnology.