Organic and printed electronics (OPE) are unlike conventional inorganic semiconductor technology. Based on semiconducting polymers or small molecules OPE offers several advantages as compared to inorganic semiconductors such as flexibility, lightweight, transparency and the opportunity to develop devices using cost efficient fabrication processes.
In addition, the increasing awareness for sustainable development and as OPE offers the opportunity to develop biodegradable technology, OPE is increasingly preferred over their inorganic counterparts.
We use different OPE technologies to bring your ideas into reality.
With in-mold electronics (IME) any functionality can be integrated where it is needed – no more mechanical buttons or switches. Overall, the components are becoming thinner, lighter, and cheaper. When using OLEDs, components with illuminated symbols can be realized without using light guides and with a high optical quality.
UV active materials, such as Quantum Dots, can be integrated inside a thin film. The light coming from this source is not bright, however, it is bright enough to be used in some applications.
Using ultra-thin glass as substrate has three major advantages. First, ultra-thin glass is flexible allowing for roll-2-roll processes. Second, ultra-thin glass has a very high intrinsic barrier against water vapour and, finally, it provides a premium surface finish.
In addition to classic foils and glass, bio-based plastics based on cellulose can also be used as substrate for printed electronics and, thus, realizing sustainable and compostable technology.
PEDOT:PSS can be printed in different kind of shapes and on different kind of substrates using industrial printing methods such as screen printing, inkjet or slot-die coating.
Carbon paste can be printed in different kind of shapes and on different kind of substrates using the screen printing process (thick-film technology).
In the field of smart textiles (wearables), stretchable cablings allow for a seamless and at the same time efficient fusion of technology and textile.
In the field of smart textiles (wearables), stretchable cablings allow for a seamless and at the same time efficient fusion of technology and textile.
A major advantage of OPE is its flexibility. No matter how curved a surface is, the technology adapts. It is also possible to realize rollable or foldable devices. Overall, the OPE technology allows for a high degree of design freedom.
Piezoelectric polymers are a very versatile class of materials. After printing, they allow two functions: On the one hand, they can give a haptic-feedback when voltage is applied. On the other hand, they can be used as a touch sensor by generating electricity through pressure.
With printed electronics it is possible to realize durable linear or circular shaped potentiometers that can be used as sensors. For example, potentiometers can be used to identify a position and the velocity and acceleration while changing from one position to another.
Optical detectors are of significant importance in all modern technology, since such optical devices are the crucial sensing element in areas, such as imaging (digital cameras), medicine (diagnostic procedures), communications and consumer electronics. Using printed organic photo diodes (OPD) on flexible substrates enables the sensors to be lightweight and flexible and therefore opens-up a wide range of new applications.
OLED is a new kind of light. It is an arial source for light which is flexible, ultra-thin, and printable. The light is homogeneously distributed over the whole area and it is easy on the eyes.
Using ultra-thin glass substrates for thin film devices such as OLEDs or solar cells require a detailed process including steps such as cleaning, cutting, and coating.
The sensitive nature of ultra-thin glass required the development of a new process which includes the temporary bonding on an adhesive foil and later-on debonding by UV light.
Customized cutting for structures between 30 and 100 µm became possible using a CO2 laser which was shown to enable a crack free cutting. This work was a result of a successful joint development with Bergfeld Lasertech.
Cavity encapsulation is one method to protect organic and printed electronics against water, oxygen, and mechanical stress. Since glass is used, cavity encapsulation provides the highest grade of encapsulation, however, it is not flexible.
Flexible electronics require flexible encapsulation. In this case, adhesives are used to encapsulate the devise, either with an encapsulation film or with ultra-thin glass. The adhesive can be activated thermally, with UV-light or with pressure.
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