PETEC The Printable Electronics Technology Centre Copyright CPI 2011. All rights reserved Printable Electronics: New Products and Opportunities for North.

PETECThe Printable Electronics

Technology Centre

Copyright CPI 2011. All rights reserved

Printable Electronics:

New Products and Opportunities for North

East Companies

PETECThe Printable ElectronicsTechnology Centre

Agenda

• What are ‘Printable Electronics’?

• How big is the Opportunity?

• What are the Manufacturing Challenges?

• How do companies in the North East benefit?


What are ‘Printable Electronics’?

Printed electronics (also called organic electronics or polymer electronics)

Nothing to do with organic food or alternative lifestyles!

+ +

“Organic” refers to electronics based on carbon chemistry, instead of conventional silicon. Organic electronics can be printed in a cheaper, greener process



• Components of Plastic Electronics– Organic molecules and polymers:

• Semi-conducting or light-emitting properties;

– Inorganic materials• Metal nanoparticles / Metallic inks

– Wide variety of substrates (application-specific)

• Process technologies • Traditional high-technology manufacturing industries (such as

liquid crystal displays)• Printing industries.



• The organic electronic materials are often polymers which can be dissolved and printed using the basic processes of the printing industry.

• This gives rise to the prospect of manufacturing electronic circuits using low-cost printing processes on any substrate surface, whether rigid or flexible.

• It will lead to the creation of a whole new range of products such as conformable and rollable electronic displays, large-area efficient lighting and low-cost solar cells.


What are ‘Printable Electronics’?• A lot of the prototypes in labs or commercial products

using the technology actually mix the organic and inorganic technologies to create hybrid devices e.g.

• Organic components with inorganic conductors.– Inorganic conductors can be printed as inks which contain

nano-sized particles of silver that sinter into conductive tracks when heated.

Print using Ink Jet or other Print Technologies:

Printed Electronics

Print on a flexible substrate (plastic

foil):Flexible

Electronics

Build devices from layers of deposited / printed thin films:

Thin Film Electronics

Print large areas:Large Area

Electronics / Organic Large

Area Electronics



• Plastic electronics• Printed electronics• Organic electronics• Thin film electronics• Flexible electronics• Large Area electronics


How to Make Printable Electronics

© Solarcon

© Flisom

© Sony© Digital Trends

Start with base materials

Metallise contactsPrint semiconductor and insulator layers

Makes a “backplane” of pixels

Print light emitting “OLEDs”

Add driver circuitry

Encapsulate and protect

Package and driver circuitry


Different to conventional electronics!• Flexibility• Lower transistor speed (no plastic

Pentium, but good for some applications)

• Semiconductor can be printed from ink – potential for volume printing

• Potential to avoid expensive vacuum process steps

• Potential to avoid expensive high temperature process steps

• Ability to print transparent devices• …… but still links to conventional

electronics, (driver circuitry, printed functionality)

© Coatema

© Photobucket


Applications

© Dupont

© TheMajorLearn

© Plastic Logic © Photobucket

© Solarcon

© Toppan

© PolyPhotonix

© Molecular Vision

© Novalia

© Polyphotonix

Solar Cells

Art

Solid State Lighting

Toys

MedicalSmart CardsSecurity

Smart Textiles

Display Screens

E-Books


Petec’s Key Technology Areas

© Visionox © Sony

© GE © Thorn

© Flisom© UniSolar© Aveso © Molecular Vision

PETEC Process and Materials

Technologies

Flexible Displays

Solid State Lighting (SSL)

Solar Cells

Integrated Smart Systems (ISS) and Sensors


Technology overviews

• Displays– OLED Displays– Electrophoretic Displays– Touch Screen Technologies

• Solid State Lighting• Organic Photovoltaics

– Barrier• Integrated Smart Systems


Displays

• There is a lot of activity in this area mainly because the end markets are real and of high value (e.g. flat screen TVs and e-readers).

• It’s fair to say that most progress has been made in this area and a number of test products are on the market


Organic components for displays

• Organic Thin Film Transistors– Materials for device development (semiconductors, binders

etc)– Used for driving a display

• Organic LED– Used to create the images

• Common to these two– Cost of materials and process– Lifetime/stability– Flexibility

• Substrates


Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) Displays

• OLEDs are made from light-emitting polymers and emit light when an external voltage is applied.

• They require only a small amount of power and they are made as thin films using printing techniques.

• They can also be printed on flexible substrates (e.g. plastic foil).


Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) Displays

• Consequently, OLEDs can be used to make flexible displays, which could be relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

• A lot of resource is being applied to the development of these displays for use in commercial products because OLED technology is now efficient and robust, and the end-use markets are large and well understood.


• 7 layers, 48,000 pixels, fan out to 200 x 240 pads

• Test Element Groups (TEGs) for:– OTFT (after stages 2,5,7) and

in groups of 10

– VIA chains

– Serpentines

– Capacitors

• Process takes ~2 days beginning to end

OTFT Backplane


OTFT Backplane

• 106ppi e-paper backplane

• Produced on a glass substrate

• 6 micron minimum feature, 5 micron design rule (overlay accuracy)

• 3” (75mm) diagonal, 48,000 transistors

0.1mm

1cm

1mm


OTFT Backplane

OTFT Backplane (PETEC)

Frontplane lamination (ASU)

Drive electronics (“E-ink broadsheet kit” via ASU)

Row/column driver chips (subcontract via ASU)

Flexible connector “tape” (subcontractor via ASU)

Complete e-ink display demo


Touch Screen Technologies

• IMS Research hold a comprehensive course on these technologies

• Opaque touch– Dominated by the controller chip suppliers

• Atmel, Cypress, Synaptics, etc.• One technology (projected capacitive)• Sensor is typically developed by the device OEM

• Notebook touchpads are the highest-revenue application– Synaptics ~60% share; Alps ~30% share; Elan ~10% share– Sensors are all two-layer projected capacitive

• Transparent touch on top of a display– Dominated by the touch module manufacturers– (100+ worldwide)– 13 technologies


Touch Screen Technologies by Materials and Processes

© Source: IMS Research 2011


Solid State lighting – Material Choice

• Polymer OLED– Complicated, expensive

material synthesis– Then cheap

manufacturing (spin coating or printing)

– Examples PPV-MEH

• Small Molecule OLED– Cheaper, easier material

synthesis– Then expensive vacuum

deposition– Examples are chelate

metal complexes, e.g. ruthenium bipyridine

Two main routes – “polymer” and “small molecule”Two main routes – “polymer” and “small molecule”

© Philips


First versions from universities in 1987

Commercially available for very leading-edge applications (Sony TV)

OLEDS: Examples

Sony XEL-1

© Philips

© GE

© GE

© Sony

© Ellumin8


Advantages / Disadvantages of OLED

• Positives

• Low power, can run from batteries

• Tunable colours• High efficiency• Bright• Can be made on flexible

surfaces• Can be made thin• Can be large area

• Negatives

• Lifetime!!!

• Currently expensive, as:– Technology is in its infancy,

still difficult to manufacture

– Complex device – needs correct carrier layers, anode/cathode


Large Area Coating Equipment (‘LACE’)

• 8” square panels

• 2 Slit die coaters: +/- 2% on 100-200nm, Aq and solvents

• Evaporator: metals and organics

• Encapsulation

• Robotic transfer throughout

• Capable of ~10 panels per 8hr day


LACE: Schematic

Double head slot die coater

Solvent coating module

Ambient coating module (aqueous)

Single head slot die coater

Evaporator (metal and organic) Encapsulation module


Organic Photovoltaics: Case Study

•7x energy needed to power the home falls on its roof, if only the energy could be harvested

•The European SRA predicts a 6% world market share (total market around $40bn) for Organic Solar Cells by 2023, with 45,000 resultant jobs and CO2 reduction of 13 million tonnes

•Petec helped Tata to research new polymer materials, develop a supply chain, and bring a product to market

United Kingdom CO2 Sources


Reasons

OPV can be made transparent, for applications in window glass

OPV can be flexible, and portable, for applications like this:

OPV can be printed much more cheaply in a roll


OPV Road Map Goals

• Improved encapsulation/sealing (WVTR 10-3 – 10-5 g/m2/d)

• (Barrier issue also impacts OLED, displays, etc)• Lifetime increased to 5, then 15 years• Efficiency towards 12% in long term• Reduced manufacturing costs through large area

R2R production technology• Move to more transparent materials

© Flisom

© UniSolar


What does this barrier WVTR number mean?

~100m

~50m

Imagine a polymer sheet the size of a football pitch: How much water would pass through this over a MONTH at various barrier performance levels?


What does this mean ?

100 10 1 1 X 1O-2 1 X 1O-4 1 X 1O-6

Raw Film Food Packaging Photovoltaics

OLEDDisplays

& Lighting

Solving the barrier issue described as a “brick wall” for the industry


Integrated Smart Systems (‘ISS’)• ISS covers the printing of any form of electronics using standard

printing processes that are well known to the print industry. • ISS products incorporate a mixture of devices such as sensors,

displays, lights, speakers, printed batteries & communication devices.

• These are currently manufactured using hybrid circuits – a mixture of silicon and printed electronics. Using these techniques, any printed item can become interactive. Potential applications for this technology are pretty much unlimited.

+


ISS: Coming Soon! Printing equipment to produce circuits Pick and place type methods of attaching components Inline/offline converting equipment for cut/crease/lamination


ISS: Applications

Duracell PowerCheck battery tester


Other areas of interest to ISS

• Electrochromic ink displays

• Printed Batteries

• Printed Memory

• Printed Sensors

• Printed RFID tags


How Big is the Opportunity?


How Big is the Opportunity?

• The global market for printed and potentially printed electronics is currently $2.2bn (IDTechEx)

but• Most are not printed and are on glass

substrates


How does this split?OLED Displays $1 Billion. Vacuum Processed on glass. Mainly Cellphones

Photovoltaics $360 million. Most are CIGS – vacuum processed on glass

Other inks: $420 million. RFID tag antennas, membrane circuits, bus bars etc.

Sensors: £130 million. Glucose test strips, ECG sensors, touch screens.

E-paper displays: £180 million

Inorganic AC Electroluminescent displays: $80 million.

Others: $30 million: Printed batteries, Logic , Memory, Electrochromic displays.

(Mostly)

Data © IDTechEx


What are the Projections?

Data © IDTechEx


ISS: An interesting opportunity

• Combines the established Print/Packaging Industry……..

• ……with the established packaged electronic components industry

• Market projections: global industry of $2.75bn in 2015 • Production of almost 400bn units by 2020. • It is likely that a significant proportion of these would

be ISS in nature.


Conclusion…….

………a growing industry that complements Si-based electronics and which has a number of entry points!


Manufacturing ChallengesHarvard Business Review, July-Aug 2009 on “Why Won’t the Kindle 2 be made in the USA?”

Electrophoretic display made in Taiwan

Flex connector made in China

Injection mould made in China

Wireless card made in S Korea

Controller board made in China

Li battery made in China

(Source Pisano and Shi 2009, “Restoring American Competitiveness”, Harvard Business Review, July-Aug 2009 p114-125)

Where can the U.K. and Europe gain value?


The Opportunity

• The UK and the EU have both released strategic agendas for research into printable electronics. Identified as an area with high potential growth for innovation, leading to sustainable revenue and job creation

• The reports conclude that Europe can succeed in key areas, winning FDI:– Original R&D and IPR for materials and

manufacturing, particularly OLED– Bulk materials manufacturing– Process equipment

• May be opportunities for manufacturing smaller screens – e.g. mobile devices


Challenges: High Volume Production

• Flexible substrates– Alignment– Distortion

• Still some vacuum steps!

• Batch vs. Continuous Production– Move to roll-to-roll (R2R)

processes

© PolyIC


Challenges: Materials

• Raw material costs– Economies of scale

• Durability– Application– Barrier Development– However, durability should be

matched to the requirementsof the application


Challenges: Stimulating market pull

• OEMs are very interested in the display and lighting potential of organic electronics.

• However, many companies are unaware of the potential benefits of the technology and so do not naturally ‘pull’ the technology: presently there is more of a technology ‘push’.

• Collaborative trans-national projects (e.g. FP7 CSA actions) are designed to unlock the full potential of the technology.

• In the UK, the Plastic Electronics Leadership Group supports and promotes the UK Plastic Electronics industry and seeks to stimulate market pull.


Challenges: Building the Supply Chain

Delivering printable electronics to market requires the bringing together of knowledge and organisations in a diverse range of fields…..

Materials Design

& Invent

Materials Scale UP

ComponentManufacture

Device Manufacture Integration

© Flisom © Solarcon© DTF

…..so how does PETEC help North Eastern companies?


PETEC

Consultancy Services

Joint Development Agreements

Access to State of the Art Equipment

Testing of materials and formulated products

PETEC is the National Centre for Printable Electronics. It helps organisationsto develop and industrialise products and services based on organic semiconductors and printed electronics


Where does PETEC operate?

TRL1 – Basic principles observed

TRL2 – Invention begins

TRL3 – Active R&D initiated

TRL4 – Basic components integrated

TRL5 – Improved integration, and test

TRL6 – Test in relevant environment

TRL7 – Prototype of operational system

TRL8 – Technology proven to work

TRL9 – Application operating in final form

UniversitiesInnovation Centres

Industry


Tool CapabilityPETEC has an extensive set of industry standard tools available to companies on an ‘open access’ model.

Visit http://www.uk-cpi.com/3_pages/focus/petec/ to follow a ‘virtual tour’ of the facility.


Networks

• PETEC is a core member of the PELG in the UK • It is a partner in two European projects (COLAE and Diginova)

which are specifically based on networks• It is a member of ‘PECOE’ (http://www.pecoe.org/) an

agreement between five Centres of Excellence in the UK to work together– CIKC – Imperial College Centre for Plastic Electronics – OMIC – PETEC – WCPC

• It is well connected to companies throughout the Plastics Electronics industry


Engagement

Sensors, printed

electronics onpackaging

PVSystems

SSLSystems

Displays

CO

NS

UM

ER

S

PETECPETEC

FilmSuppliers

MaterialsSuppliers

DeviceDesigners

Instrument& Tool

Vendors

AcademiaTrade

AssociationsConsultancyFunding

Bodies

Wilton R2R

Facility

SedgefieldScale-up & Prototype

Facility

Wilton Development

& Test Lab

OEMs

20052008 2008/9

From Innovation to Commercialisation


Customer Engagement

By You: Equipment HireCustomers’ staff are trained to operate the PETEC toolset and support the development. PETEC will train and supervise access and provide “on demand” consultancy advice to support the work content. Supplemented by incubator office accommodation.

For You: Contract ResearchPETEC’s trained staff operate the PETEC toolset and support the customers’ development. PETEC retains full control of access and operation of the kit

With You: Collaboration, Joint Venture PETEC’s staff work alongside 1 or more customer teams sharing resources and IP. Typically funded programmes (TSB, FP7)


Benefits to NE companies

• PETEC was set up with public funding

• Not only does it have international and national agendas, it is also focussed on helping SMEs in the North East region to engage with Printable Electronics


Benefits to NE Companies

• Members of the PETEC team can provide up to £1000 (equivalent) support to regional SMEs, providing they are below their de minimis limit.

• This can be taken as access to equipment, time with staff etc.

• Team members will work with companies to determine the best support that can be given


Benefits to NE Companies

• PETEC has already helped a number of regional SMEs to understand and engage with the Printable Electronics industry.

• Please make use of this National facility: you have unique regional access to it.

• Please contact us: we would be interested in discussing how we could help you!


Conclusions• Plastic Electronics is an exciting area with many

opportunities• It complements conventional electronics technologies• There are a number of challenges that need to be

met• PETEC is helping the industry to meet those

challenges and helping to ‘make it happen’• SMEs in the North East that are interested in

Printable Electronics could be supported directly by PETEC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqyW9vdS0x0&feature=related

PETEC The Printable Electronics Technology Centre Copyright CPI 2011. All rights reserved Printable Electronics: New Products and Opportunities for North.

Documents

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conventional electronics

polymer electronics

organic components

organic food

organic electronic materials

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driver circuitry slide