Printed Flexible Electronics: Display and Sensor Applications

PARC (Palo Alto Research Center. Inc.) is developing processes for printed and flexible electronics by integrating inorganic and organic materials with flexible substrates. Over the years we have demonstrated flexible active matrix TFT backplanes based on amorphous silicon, poly-silicon and organic semiconductors for emissive and reflective displays. We have also demonstrated devices targeting medical applications such as flexible hybrid image sensors and flexible blast dosimeter tapes to detect the occurrence of events that cause traumatic brain injury.

The sensor tape design includes integrated sensors, signal conditioning electronics, non-volatile memory and a thin film battery. The electronic circuits are based on jet-printed organic electronics with the emphasis on low-voltage electronics due to the limitations of the battery size. In order to meet the low cost target of the tapes, fabrication techniques such as inkjet printing, laser machining and lamination are employed with all deposition and patterning steps been compatible with future roll-to-roll manufacturing.Our focus is to lower processing temperatures in order to use plastic substrates and introduce direct writing steps to reduce the use of materials and provide a lower cost approach to manufacturing.

In this talk, I will highlight the challenges of processing semiconducting materials on flexible substrates and give examples of commercial applications where flexible electronics and displays are desired. I will also discuss the use of inkjet printing as a tool to improve materials performance and prototype flexible sensors and electronics.