LOPE-C 2010 Conference Program Overview

• Why Printable Electronics?
• Challenges and Opportunities. Integration Options and Financial Dynamics.
• Vertical vs. Horizontal Business Models. VC Lessons Learned.

This seminar will provide an overview, on a wide range of organic/printed devices by showing fundamental information on device & component setup, required layers, possible printing methods and characterization. The tutorial covers the basics of organic/printed electronic components including: Conducting tracks, organic rectifier diodes, organic thin-film transistors (OTFT), organic circuits, power sources (batteries, RF-sources), organic photovoltaic devices (OPV), organic light-emitting devices (OLED), printed memories and sensors.

More detailed information will be given on printed transparent conducting films, printed memories, organic thin-film transistors and circuits, the different cross-sections and basic know how on electrical characterization.

General discussed Devices:

• Conducting tracks for printed electronics
• Sensors (e.g. touch sensors)
• Capacitors & organic rectifier diodes
• Power sources (RF-sources, batteries)
• Organic thin-film transistors (p-type & n-type) and circuits
• Printed memories
• (Organic photovoltaic devices (OPV))
• Organic light-emitting devices (OLED)

Advanced knowledge:

• Sensors (e.g. touch sensors)
• Device setup (OTFT & circuits)
• Electrical OTFT characterization

• The Lighting Market and the Attractiveness of OLED for Lighting Applications
• Status of Technology Developments
• Latest Product Concepts
• Future Developments of Technology and Markets

• ProReader Opportunity and Requirements
• Plastic Electronics
• QUE Product

• Overview of the flexible/printed/organic electronic applications
• Flexible display is gaining momentum
• E-paper display entering the mainstream
• Touch panel become ubiquitous
• OLED lighting opportunity is evolving

This seminar will discuss suitable conventional and digital printing techniques for the realization of electronic devices. It will compare the assets and drawbacks of the available printing processes with respect to imaging possibilities and ink requirements. The following printing processes will be introduced:

• Flexo Printing
• Gravure Printing
• Pad Printing
• Screen Printing
• Offset Printing
• Inkjet Printing

Furthermore, the general demands and challenges for printing of electronic components and applications will be addressed.

• End-user requirements for mobile devices
• What form factors, functionalities and preferred interaction paradigms will make – personalised devices an essential part of the lifestyle of 2015 and beyond
• Integration and customization - Printable electronics, reel-to-reel, alternative substrates for electronics integration. 
• New user interfaces and energy solutions

Introduction

• Car evolution
• Drivers for innovation

Printable electronics enabling sustainable and clean mobility

• Lightweight smart components (lighting, displays, sensors) 
• Energy recovery, generation and storage
• Multifunctional materials

Examples of multifunctional integration

• Print advertising unlimited: new special ads
• Print and more: integrated compaignes connecting print, online, mobile and more
• Printed electronics: new potential or just hype?

• Printed electronics are opening the way for a new, additional media channel
• Printing and Media industry have to discover and to develop new products for a new market
• The Printing and Media industry needs to discover the market requirements and to learn to produce future products

General Topics:

• Materials for OPV, TFT and OLEDs
• Semiconductors, Conductors, Dielectrics, Electrodes
• Synthesis, Molecular Structure, Film Formation and Charge Transport Properties
• Stability and Performance
• CNT and Inorganic Materials

The tutorial will cover firstly the design and synthesis of organic semiconductors for both transistor and solar cells, followed by characterisation and processing of organic transistors, as well as a short summary of organic electronic applications.  The tutorial will build knowledge from the ground up, starting from the molecular structure of the most relevant materials up to the most exciting technological applications of organic semiconductors.  The fundamentals of organic semiconductor molecular structure will be described, and the subsequent impact on electronic energy levels and microstructure discussed. Semiconductor stability will be examined, and illustrated with some state-of-the-art literature examples. The inter-relationships between organic semiconductor molecular conformation, thin film morphology and charge transport in field-effect transistors will be discussed.  Particular emphasis will be on polymeric semiconductors, and the impact of backbone structure and pi- electron delocalisation and density on the frontier molecular orbital energy levels will be highlighted with respect to solar cell performance. Other transistor device materials, such as electrodes and dielectrics will be reviewed. Thiophene containing polymers will provide examples to illustrate molecular design principles.  The basic working principles of field-effect transistors will be explained using relevant examples of device architecture from the recent literature. Special requirement for materials for OLEDs will be discussed.
Information on recent development in other material classes such as CNT (carbon nanotubes) and inorganic (solution processable) conductors and semiconductors will be provided in addition.

• State of the art roll-to-roll manufacturing processes
• High volume flex film substrate manufacturing
•  Manufacturing process of organic photovoltaic (OPV)
• Roll-to-roll manufacturing of OPV products for integration

• Why Organic Electronics?
• Challenges for a material provider
• Current technology status

This seminar will provide newcomers as well as experts from other Organic and Printed Electronics areas a systematic overview of the current status of the OPV research field and future challenges.

Photovoltaic cells, using organic materials in the active part of the device have been the object of research for many years. OPV is considered as one of the important Emerging PV technologies which carry large hope for substantial cost reductions for PV in the future. The potential for cost reduction is based on the compatibility with high manufacturing throughput through a roll-to-roll production technology (with access to flexible properties). All these factors could finally lead to direct photovoltaic module cost less than 0.5 EUR per Wp. Additionally, it opens up the perspective of new applications in which mechanical flexibility and light weight are important add-ons to the functionality of PV systems
The seminar will cover a general introduction on Photovoltaics and the position of OPV in the total field of PV developments. After a brief discussion of the general operation principles of OPV and a presentation of record efficiencies, stability data and key technology drivers, current trends will be reviewed including materials development, device engineering and light management strategies, printing and coating of large area modules, standardization of performance testing etc.
Topics to be discussed:

• General Introduction on Photovoltaics and Development Roadmaps
• Basic Working Principles of OPV
• Materials Engineering and Design Rules
• Device (Cell and Module) Engineering
• Light Management Strategies
• Standardization of Testing
• Large Area Manufacturing of OPV

• R2R Printed Electronics as Platform for new Markets
• Printed RFID for Automatic Authentication Control
• Transparent Conductive Films for Touch Sensors and More
• Interactive Labels and Printed Memories for Smart Applications

• Non-volatile memories for use on re-writable cards, as well as molded into plastic devices
• The path to memory capacity of 100+ bits per unit higher-density memories using shift registers or multiplexers/decoders for kbit-scale capacity
• Integrated Systems: Higher-density printed memories coupled with printed primary batteries, sensors and displays,for disposable packaging and status indicator elements