Business from technology

Printed functionality

Printed functionality means superimposing different large area roll-to-roll (R2R) manufacturing techniques (for example, different printing techniques, hot embossing, laser processing, evaporation, etching, etc.) to fabricate different functional components and modules for Printed Intelligence applications. These applications can be passive and active electronic, optic and optoelectronic components, different indicators, sensors and diagnostic products. New material solutions and R2R large-area manufacturing processes enable the fabrication of these functionalities on different flexible substrates (plastic, paper, fabrics, metal foils, etc.). The aim is to develop cost efficient R2R manufacturing techniques, material solutions and completely new products, for example lighting and signage elements based on organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), organic solar cells and light detectors, printed batteries and low-cost healthcare diagnostic tools.

Competence

VTT transfers laboratory-scale device manufacturing know-how to the pilot level and demonstrates pilot-level manufacturing of the above mentioned components, modules and functionalities. This goal is strongly supported by wide material know-how in organic and inorganic materials and a world-class pilot manufacturing environment.

Challenges

• New fluid processable organic and inorganic materials which achieve the acceptable performance required for electronic component and module-level operation in the specific application.
  
• Development of large area R2R manufacturing techniques to a level that produces an acceptable performance level of electronic components and modules.
  
• Integration of R2R-manufactured components and modules forward to commercial products.
  

Solutions

• Development of more stable and better performance materials and novel component and module structures
  
• Development of existing R2R manufacturing processes and integration of new R2R manufacturing technologies into those.
  
• Development of runnability of the R2R manufacturing processes and novel on-line characterization techniques
  

Benefits

• Increased functionality and added value of mass-produced products such as printed matter
  
• Opportunities to generate completely new products, and thus generate new business
  
• The environmental load of existing manufacturing processes can be decreased using additive processes such as printing or coating
  

References and merits

• VTT is currently coordinating 4 EU-projects in area of Organic and Large Area Electronics. The total volume of these projects is 9.5 M€
  
• Important international research partners are: CEA, IMEC, FhG, CSEM, the University of Tokyo, Imperial College
  

All printed two colour OLED signage element.