Development Platform for
Methods of Mass Production
InnovationLab GmbH is creating an R&D platform with the Printing competence center. The partners from the Forum Organic Electronics excellence cluster will be able to work in cooperation on materials, manufacturing technology and components for printed organic electronics on this platform. The aim of this work is to make methods of mass production for organic electronics technically possible and marketable. The Printing competence center is facilitating an interdisciplinary cooperation in one central location, which results in much shorter iterative steps. This is crucial for the fast success of this technology. A multiple phase development process has been planned to demonstrate the feasibility of mass production. This process is intended to achieve an efficient scale, in which optimized control systems guarantee forward and backward integration.
Testing New Material Formulations
With the aid of the available equipment, it will be possible to test new material formulations for organic electronic components through wetting, pressure and drying experiments. Substrates with dimensions ranging from a few square centimeters to roll-to-roll applications will be able to be processed and tested. Inkjet, deep-printing, flexo, silkscreen and offset printing technology are available for both small and large substrates. In addition, new coating and printing processes can be tested.
Evaluating New Materials
and Concepts
In experiments on small substrates (50 x 50 mm²) or where little material is used, the main focus is evaluating new materials and concepts, a selection process that is kind on materials, and reference or control structures. With so-called integrative substrate sizes up to 6 inches, the objective is to manufacture complete functional components (OTFT, OLED, OPV and sensors or a combination thereof) and link and optimize substrates, materials, formulations, designs, circuit designs, etc. through the printing process. Functional films can be optimized specifically for roll-to-roll print processing since additional films can be manufactured according to classic standard methods (e.g. deposition of metal electrodes). In this, it is possible to separate the various problem fields. The aim of product and application oriented roll-to-roll processing is to print complete components (OTFT, OLED, OPV and sensors or a combination thereof) under mass production conditions and to give feedback to the partners involved.
Methods of Film Analysis and Component Characterization
Components produced in the Printing competence center can be measured directly on site using various methods of film analysis and component characterization:
In film analysis, films are analyzed using interferometers, methods of electron microscopy, profilometers, contact angle analysis and fluorescence microscopy, among others. Film properties such as film thickness, roughness, wettability and the quality of structures are determined through these measurements. The characterization of components includes an appropriate basic evaluation and measurements of longevity or lifespan, generally depending on the component.
Organic circuits and chips:
Electronic components are primarily characterized electrically as a way of extracting characteristics that are important for operating these components. For field-effect transistors, this is generally the charge carrier mobility, the threshold voltage (VT) and the on/off ratio. Here, the drain current (IDS) is measured based on the voltage drain to source (VDS) and the gate to source voltage (VGS).
Organic light emitting diodes: In addition to the electrical characterization, the photometric characteristics are also important for OLEDs. The measurements to determine brightness (normally in Cd/m²) based on current and voltage (characteristics) and the spectrum (optical spectrum, x, y coordinates) usually deliver all the relevant characteristics such as efficiency, color coordinates and spacial emission behavior.
Organic photovoltaics: These measurements are similar to those of transistors, but under radiation equivalent to the solar light spectrum (solar simulator).
