Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > Functional Printing Enables Next Wave of Mass Produced Electronic

Advanced ink-jet printing machine for the production of organic electronics. (Source: FUJIFILM Dimatix)
Advanced ink-jet printing machine for the production of organic electronics. (Source: FUJIFILM Dimatix)

Abstract:
LOPE-C - Functional Printing - May 31 to June 2, 2010 - Frankfurt, Germany

Functional Printing Enables Next Wave of Mass Produced Electronic

Frankfurt, Germany | Posted on January 20th, 2010

Large-area, organic and printed electronics - complementing traditional silicon-based microelectronics - is at the threshold of mass production, promising a host of thin and lightweight, flexible and robust products. They are manufactured at very low cost by extending well established graphic printing techniques - layering very thin stacks of electronic components, semiconductors, insulators and barriers on polyester substrates. Functional printing enables a multitude of novel applications such as organic solar cells, OLED displays and wall-sized OLED lighting, e-readers, flat batteries, RFID tags, sensors and actuators for ambient intelligence in textiles and smart packaging, even low-cost electronic gadgets suited for one-time use - easily integrated in our familiar living surroundings.

LOPE-C 2010 (Large-area, Organic and Printed Electronics Convention), the annual conference and exhibition of the OE-A, held May 31 to June 2, 2010, at the Congress Center, Messe Frankfurt, Germany, will demonstrate the latest process technologies and applications to a worldwide audience of technologists, investors and end-users.

Low Cost Electronics: Printed Roll to Roll

Functional printing of mass-produced organic electronics is based on various rapidly evolving processes: flexographic printing, a subset of relief printing, transfers the ink from a printing form to plastic substrates. A variation of flexo is gravure printing, in which the printing pattern is defined by very small cups engraved in a printing cylinder. Gravure is a low-pressure technique enabling the use of organic dissolvent. Offset, a flat printing technique widely used for high-volume graphics and delivering excellent resolution at a very high throughput, is an additional option.

Screen printing is another high potential for mass producing organic electronics. Currently applied in PCB manufacturing, screen printing defines the printed pattern through an opaque mask applied to a fine mesh. By applying pressure the ink is forced onto the substrate in the non-masked areas. Rotary screen printing allows printing in thick layers, roll-to-roll. "Roll-to-roll printing opens up new opportunities for mass producing organic devices and systems," says Dr. Christian Maas of Werner Kammann Maschinenfabrik in Bünde, Germany. "High-end screen printing is a versatile basis for highly productive printing and coating applications." Among them, says Maas, are smooth and evenly spread electrodes for defibrillators, disposable glucose test strips, flexible batteries customizable for small portable products, antennas for RFID tags and automotive sealing devices.

A detailed overview of the various printing and patterning technologies as well as current and future applications is given in the "OE-A Roadmap for Organic and Printed Electronics" recently published by the Organic Electronics Association (OE-A).

Inkjet Printing for High Throughput Manufacturing

A strong contender for the printing of organic electronics is inkjet printing. Well known as a ubiquitous office appliance, inkjet uses very small droplets of ink, which are ejected onto the substrate through thermal or piezoelectric effects. Feature sizes of a few micrometers have been achieved. A very important, distinctive property of inkjet is that, due to its digital definition of the printed pattern, each subsequent impression can be different, allowing individual layouts and signatures.

"Inkjet has a bright future in the deposition of digital materials on organic substrates," says Martin Schoeppler, CEO and President of FUJIFILM Dimatix, Santa Clara, CA, USA. Using multiple printheads in parallel tremendously increases throughput - evolving inkjet to a high-quality mass printing technology. "The opportunities are unlimited," Mr. Schoeppler says, "ranging from polymer solar films, flexible polymer-based lighting elements, electronic books and paper-like electronic products to intelligent packaging featuring interactive displays and controls for consumer products."

Atmospheric and Vacuum Coating Processes

There is a host of other patterning techniques, such as laser ablation, vacuum deposition, soft lithography and large-area optical lithography, or solution coating techniques like slot-die, wire bar or curtain coating. Vacuum deposition processes show great potential for large-area roll-to-roll patterning and are pursued by Fraunhofer IPMS in Dresden, Germany. At its core is depositing functional layers for organic photovoltaics and OLED lighting devices on flexible substrates.

As an alternative, an atmospheric plasma-based powder coating technology for micro- and nanoparticle deposition has been developed by Reinhausen Plasma of Regensburg, Germany. "Plasmadust," as the process is called, works with materials such as Al, Cu, Zn and polymers, achieving high deposition rates at a low temperature load of the substrate. Among the applications are plasma and laser sintering, solar cell wafer metallization, and the manufacturing of thinfilm batteries and fuel cells.

Enabling Electronics Everywhere

Large-area, organic and printed electronics in its various production technologies is enabling vast opportunities for attractive consumer goods and intelligent packaging. Interactive periodicals, combining print and online content, are close to being introduced. Also on the agenda are medical applications, organic photovoltaics and lighting. The mid-term outlook for organic and printed electronics is evidenced in the current third edition of the official OE-A Roadmap White Paper. The latest progress in products and processes will be demonstrated hands-on at LOPE-C 2010.

####

About LOPE-C
LOPE-C (Large Area, Organic & Printed Electronics Convention) is the leading, fully industry-sponsored annual conferences and exhibition of organic and printed electronics. LOPE-C presents the economic trends and the scope of scientific achievements in the field. The convention focuses on the production and application of organic and printed electronics. LOPE-C 2010 is held May 31 to June 2, 2010 at the Congress Center of Messe Frankfurt, Germany. It is jointly organized by the Organic Electronics Association (OE-A) and Messe Frankfurt Ausstellungen GmbH.

About OE-A

Formed in 2004 as a Working Group within VDMA (German Engineering Federation), the OE-A (Organic Electronics Association) is the foremost professional body representing the worldwide organic and printed electronics industry. With more than 120 members throughout Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, OE-A represents the entire industrial value chain. The OE-A Roadmap, fixing time lines for applications and technologies, is now out in its third edition (2009). www.oe-a.org

About Messe Frankfurt Ausstellungen GmbH

Messe Frankfurt Ausstellungen GmbH is a fully owned subsidiary of Messe Frankfurt GmbH. At an annual turnover of €440m (2008), Messe Frankfurt is the world's largest fair company operating their own fair grounds. The globally active holding operates a worldwide network of 28 daughter companies, five branch offices and 52 international distribution partners and representatives. With this broad-based structure, Messe Frankfurt is present in more than 150 countries, with important industry events in more than 30 locations. In 2008, Messe Frankfurt organized a total of 102 fairs, 60 of which took place in foreign countries.

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
LOPE-C Press Contact:
For enquiries regarding LOPE-C 2010 conference topics and events, speaker interviews, etc. please
contact:

Werner Schulz
+49 (0) 30 81 05 89 59

Copyright © LOPE-C

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

Display technology/LEDs/SS Lighting/OLEDs

Light guide plate based on perovskite nanocomposites November 3rd, 2023

Simple ballpoint pen can write custom LEDs August 11th, 2023

Novel design perovskite electrochemical cell for light-emission and light-detection May 12th, 2023

A universal HCl-assistant powder-to-powder strategy for preparing lead-free perovskites March 24th, 2023

Chip Technology

New chip opens door to AI computing at light speed February 16th, 2024

HKUST researchers develop new integration technique for efficient coupling of III-V and silicon February 16th, 2024

Electrons screen against conductivity-killer in organic semiconductors: The discovery is the first step towards creating effective organic semiconductors, which use significantly less water and energy, and produce far less waste than their inorganic counterparts February 16th, 2024

NRL discovers two-dimensional waveguides February 16th, 2024

Sensors

$900,000 awarded to optimize graphene energy harvesting devices: The WoodNext Foundation's commitment to U of A physicist Paul Thibado will be used to develop sensor systems compatible with six different power sources January 12th, 2024

A color-based sensor to emulate skin's sensitivity: In a step toward more autonomous soft robots and wearable technologies, EPFL researchers have created a device that uses color to simultaneously sense multiple mechanical and temperature stimuli December 8th, 2023

New tools will help study quantum chemistry aboard the International Space Station: Rochester Professor Nicholas Bigelow helped develop experiments conducted at NASA’s Cold Atom Lab to probe the fundamental nature of the world around us November 17th, 2023

TU Delft researchers discover new ultra strong material for microchip sensors: A material that doesn't just rival the strength of diamonds and graphene, but boasts a yield strength 10 times greater than Kevlar, renowned for its use in bulletproof vests November 3rd, 2023

Nanoelectronics

Interdisciplinary: Rice team tackles the future of semiconductors Multiferroics could be the key to ultralow-energy computing October 6th, 2023

Key element for a scalable quantum computer: Physicists from Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen University demonstrate electron transport on a quantum chip September 23rd, 2022

Reduced power consumption in semiconductor devices September 23rd, 2022

Atomic level deposition to extend Moore’s law and beyond July 15th, 2022

Announcements

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Automotive/Transportation

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

New designs for solid-state electrolytes may soon revolutionize the battery industry: Scientists achieve monumental improvements in lithium-metal-chloride solid-state electrolytes November 3rd, 2023

Previously unknown pathway to batteries with high energy, low cost and long life: Newly discovered reaction mechanism overcomes rapid performance decline in lithium-sulfur batteries September 8th, 2023

Tests find no free-standing nanotubes released from tire tread wear September 8th, 2023

Textiles/Clothing

This new fabric coating could drastically reduce microplastic pollution from washing clothes: University of Toronto Engineering researchers are working on a fabric finish to prevent microplastic fibres from shedding during laundry cycles January 27th, 2023

Protective equipment with graphene nanotubes meets the strictest ESD safety standards March 25th, 2022

Polymer fibers with graphene nanotubes make it possible to heat hard-to-reach, complex-shaped items February 11th, 2022

Flexible material shows potential for use in fabrics to heat, cool July 3rd, 2020

Battery Technology/Capacitors/Generators/Piezoelectrics/Thermoelectrics/Energy storage

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Discovery of new Li ion conductor unlocks new direction for sustainable batteries: University of Liverpool researchers have discovered a new solid material that rapidly conducts lithium ions February 16th, 2024

A battery’s hopping ions remember where they’ve been: Seen in atomic detail, the seemingly smooth flow of ions through a battery’s electrolyte is surprisingly complicated February 16th, 2024

Events/Classes

Researchers demonstrate co-propagation of quantum and classical signals: Study shows that quantum encryption can be implemented in existing fiber networks January 20th, 2023

CEA & Partners Present ‘Powerful Step Towards Industrialization’ Of Linear Si Quantum Dot Arrays Using FDSOI Material at VLSI Symposium: Invited paper reports 3-step characterization chain and resulting methodologies and metrics that accelerate learning, provide data on device pe June 17th, 2022

June Conference in Grenoble, France, to Explore Pathways to 6G Applications, Including ‘Internet of Senses’, Sustainability, Extended Reality & Digital Twin of Physical World: Organized by CEA-Leti, the Joint EuCNC and 6G Summit Sees Telecom Sector as an ‘Enabler for a Sustainabl June 1st, 2022

How a physicist aims to reduce the noise in quantum computing: NAU assistant professor Ryan Behunin received an NSF CAREER grant to study how to reduce the noise produced in the process of quantum computing, which will make it better and more practical April 1st, 2022

Solar/Photovoltaic

Development of zinc oxide nanopagoda array photoelectrode: photoelectrochemical water-splitting hydrogen production January 12th, 2024

Shedding light on unique conduction mechanisms in a new type of perovskite oxide November 17th, 2023

Inverted perovskite solar cell breaks 25% efficiency record: Researchers improve cell efficiency using a combination of molecules to address different November 17th, 2023

Charged “molecular beasts” the basis for new compounds: Researchers at Leipzig University use “aggressive” fragments of molecular ions for chemical synthesis November 3rd, 2023

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project