The Flexible Display Center at Arizona State University has developed a new process for manufacturing high-performance flexible displays on transparent plastic.
FDC researchers, working with industrial partners DuPont Teijin Films and E Ink Corp., have developed a method for making high-performance amorphous silicon thin film transistors on planarized Teonex® PEN films. The FDC team integrated 3.8-in. QVGA arrays of these transistors with Vizplex-100™ imaging layer film from E Ink to fabricate glass-free high-performance flexible electrophoretic displays that are only 15 mils (375 micrometers) thick.
The displays are quite rugged and readily withstand severe vibration and impact tests performed at industry partner General Dynamics’ labs. To download video highlights of these tests go to http://flexdisplay.asu.edu/Flex-display-test_revB.wmv.
The FDC process uses a proprietary technique for temporarily bonding the planarized Teonex PEN film (from DuPont Teijin) to a rigid carrier using a specially developed adhesive. Amorphous silicon circuits then are fabricated with conventional flat panel display manufacturing equipment. Despite exposure of the bonded film to temperatures as high as 200 C (392 F) during the fabrication process, essentially no plastic substrate distortion is observed. The film bearing the completed transistor arrays is removed from the carrier using a mechanical force that is gentle enough to permit automation of the process.
“Most of the technology development in our pilot line environment is realized through steady improvements over several cycles of learning,” said Greg Raupp, director of FDC. “In this case, integrated learning came together as we viewed the entire flexible substrate system of carrier, adhesive, substrate, planarization and associated process protocols to point to a directed solution that yielded a dramatic technical advance.”
The FDC thin film transistors are produced using the highest semiconductor and gate-dielectric deposition temperatures reported for a process on Teonex PEN. The higher temperatures permit the fabrication of transistors with higher on-off ratio, better sub-threshold slope, and – most importantly – greater bias-stress stability. These performance characteristics translate directly into higher pixel densities for enhanced display resolution and an enlarged number of grey levels for improved image quality.
The ability to produce high quality arrays of thin film transistors with low defects is aided by the use of DTF’s planarized Teonex PEN, which has been developed to meet the needs of demanding display applications. The temporarily bonded Teonex PEN with its newly developed planarization coating provides a surface smooth enough and sufficiently defect-free to enable the fabrication of micrometer-scale electronics.
Development of methods for the handling of mechanically flexible substrates such as Teonex PEN in automated manufacturing equipment has been a significant challenge to creating practical and economical processes for flexible displays and electronics. The FDC advance in temporarily bonding plastic films to a carrier is a significant move forward for advancing engineering prototypes of flexible displays to commercial manufacturing.
Showing posts with label DuPont. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DuPont. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Flexible Display Center redefines ultrathin display process
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
DuPont and Dainippon Alliance to Focus on Reducing OLEDs Production Costs
WILMINGTON, Del. and KYOTO, Japan, May 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DuPont and Dainippon Screen Manufacturing Co., Ltd., today announced their intention to form a strategic alliance to develop integrated manufacturing equipment for printed organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays. The companies also have signed an agreement relating to their intention to bring together the elements needed -- materials, technology and equipment -- to mass produce OLED displays, delivering higher performance at a lower cost.
OLEDs are displays in which pixels are created using thin films made of emissive organic materials. Compared with liquid crystal displays (LCDs), OLEDs can have much higher contrast ratios, lower power consumption (because pixels draw power only when they are in use), faster response time, and eliminate the need for the backlight and color filter. Small-size active matrix OLED displays have recently become available from several manufacturers, but the current high-cost of manufacturing limits market adoption, and constrains OLED manufacturing for large size displays.
"The flat panel display market is about $100 billion annually and growing. DuPont is applying its science to make possible more vivid displays that are lower cost than current LCD displays," said David B. Miller, group vice president, DuPont Electronic & Communication Technologies. "We are excited to combine our strengths with Dainippon Screen's unique printing technology to bring to market the core technology that will enable improved high definition televisions and other flat panel displays."
The companies are developing integrated coating and printing equipment for the fabrication of OLED displays from solution, an approach which is unique in the industry and can significantly reduce manufacturing costs for OLED displays. DuPont brings to the alliance its distinctive small molecule-based OLED solution materials and proprietary process technology from which excellent performance has been obtained in testing. Dainippon Screen has developed a unique printing technology, called nozzle printing, in which the OLED materials can be printed accurately at very high speed. The goal of the alliance is to develop integrated OLED printing and coating equipment that will significantly reduce the production costs of flat panel displays, with the aim of extending OLED technology to large size displays and making them cost-competitive with LCDs.
The companies have been working together over the past three years to jointly develop nozzle printers as an efficient method for printing OLED displays from solution. The first production scale printer is currently being constructed.
"We were interested in extending our deep LCD equipment experience into the OLED marketplace and we felt that DuPont had developed a much needed, viable approach to OLED materials and technology that could expedite the commercialization of cost-effective OLED manufacturing," said Yoshinari Yaoi, corporate senior executive officer and president, FPD Equipment Company, Dainippon Screen. "We believe that this alliance could be the key for manufacturers to be able to produce affordable, high-quality larger sized OLEDs using our unique nozzle printer technology."
Dainippon Screen, established in 1943, is a leading supplier of flat panel display and semiconductor equipment. Screen is currently involved in manufacturing production equipment in a variety of fields, including FPDs, semiconductors, printed circuit boards, and printing and prepress equipment such as thermal CtP recorders and on-demand printing systems. For more information, please visit: http://www.screen.co.jp/.[English site:http://www.screen.co.jp/index.html]
DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation. For more information, please visit: http://www.dupont.com/.
Photo: OLEDs With DuPont and Dainippon Technology -- http://www2.dupont.com/Media_Center/en_US/assets/mmg/images/DuPont_OLED_Display.jpg
Caption: 4.3" diagonal full-color OLED made with DuPont materials and Dainippon equipment
DuPont
Source
OLEDs are displays in which pixels are created using thin films made of emissive organic materials. Compared with liquid crystal displays (LCDs), OLEDs can have much higher contrast ratios, lower power consumption (because pixels draw power only when they are in use), faster response time, and eliminate the need for the backlight and color filter. Small-size active matrix OLED displays have recently become available from several manufacturers, but the current high-cost of manufacturing limits market adoption, and constrains OLED manufacturing for large size displays.
"The flat panel display market is about $100 billion annually and growing. DuPont is applying its science to make possible more vivid displays that are lower cost than current LCD displays," said David B. Miller, group vice president, DuPont Electronic & Communication Technologies. "We are excited to combine our strengths with Dainippon Screen's unique printing technology to bring to market the core technology that will enable improved high definition televisions and other flat panel displays."
The companies are developing integrated coating and printing equipment for the fabrication of OLED displays from solution, an approach which is unique in the industry and can significantly reduce manufacturing costs for OLED displays. DuPont brings to the alliance its distinctive small molecule-based OLED solution materials and proprietary process technology from which excellent performance has been obtained in testing. Dainippon Screen has developed a unique printing technology, called nozzle printing, in which the OLED materials can be printed accurately at very high speed. The goal of the alliance is to develop integrated OLED printing and coating equipment that will significantly reduce the production costs of flat panel displays, with the aim of extending OLED technology to large size displays and making them cost-competitive with LCDs.
The companies have been working together over the past three years to jointly develop nozzle printers as an efficient method for printing OLED displays from solution. The first production scale printer is currently being constructed.
"We were interested in extending our deep LCD equipment experience into the OLED marketplace and we felt that DuPont had developed a much needed, viable approach to OLED materials and technology that could expedite the commercialization of cost-effective OLED manufacturing," said Yoshinari Yaoi, corporate senior executive officer and president, FPD Equipment Company, Dainippon Screen. "We believe that this alliance could be the key for manufacturers to be able to produce affordable, high-quality larger sized OLEDs using our unique nozzle printer technology."
Dainippon Screen, established in 1943, is a leading supplier of flat panel display and semiconductor equipment. Screen is currently involved in manufacturing production equipment in a variety of fields, including FPDs, semiconductors, printed circuit boards, and printing and prepress equipment such as thermal CtP recorders and on-demand printing systems. For more information, please visit: http://www.screen.co.jp/.[English site:http://www.screen.co.jp/index.html]
DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation. For more information, please visit: http://www.dupont.com/.
Photo: OLEDs With DuPont and Dainippon Technology -- http://www2.dupont.com/Media_Center/en_US/assets/mmg/images/DuPont_OLED_Display.jpg
Caption: 4.3" diagonal full-color OLED made with DuPont materials and Dainippon equipment
DuPont
Source
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