Conference Program - LOPE-C 2011

SCIENTIFIC CONF. | THURSDAY-JUNE 30, 2011
Track 5
Novel Process Concepts (04:30 pm - 06:00 pm) | LOCATION HARMONIE E / LEVEL C2
05:00 pm Selective Coating and Removal Technologies to Produce Patterned Films for Printed Electronics
Mr Greg Gibson,
nTact/FAS , President & CTO , United States
Liquid chemistries are used to create a wide variety of functional layers in organic electronics. These materials are often deposited in the desired areas within the device
structure using direct patterning methods. Alternately, these materials may be deposited over the entire substrate using a ?full coverage? coating method, and later partially
removed to form the desired pattern. Direct patterning
techniques offer the clear vantage of placement of the material in the desired location in a single step. However, existing techniques have some disadvantages, including
direct contact with the substrate, relatively low throughput, roughness of the deposited film, and yield loss due to defects. Full
coverage coating techniques can be used to produce a high quality film, but to generate the desired
pattern subsequent steps such as photolithography or laser ablation are typically required, thus adding cost and complexity to the device fabrication process.
nTact/FAS has developed a new set of technologies that combines an enhanced method of extrusion coating with a novel coating removal technique to produce patterned
films. The Selective Coating method uses a specially designed extrusion coating die with multiple openings to define coated and
uncoated areas (stripes) across the width of the substrate. This stripe coating method is combined with the ability to precisely start and stop the coating multiple times down
the length of the substrate, thus
enabling the deposition of an array of rectangular shapes. The Selective Removal technique uses a proprietary mechanism to remove portions of the coating immediately
after deposition. The removal technique is non-contact, and has been successfully demonstrated to generate both rectilinear and
complex shapes for a wide variety of coating materials. The coating edge profile after Selective Removal is sharp and well defined, comparing favorably with the edge of
the initial coated film. Selective Coating and Selective Removal can be used independently or in conjunction, providing a unique and versatile means of adapting to process
requirements.
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