Flexible Electronics: Revolutionary Products and Career Opportunities for Creative Engineers TAPPI - PIMA Student Summit 2011 Michael Ciesinski President January 15, 2011
Microelectronics changed the world by putting intelligence in products, enabling many new products Flexible, Printed Electronics A new field of electronics is emerging which cannot be made small, but must be big in order to interact with big things This is flexible, printed electronics and its salient feature is that it can conform to surfaces to impact a wide range of applications Opportunities exist for job creation and manufacturing development 2 Lightweight, flexible display from Army/ASU FDC Printed RFID from Sunchon National Univ. and Rice Univ. Konarka s Flexible Organic Photovoltaic Material 1/27/2011 5
What is the FlexTech Alliance? FlexTech Alliance is a North American organization focused on promoting the electronic displays and flexible, printed electronics industries. The mission of the FlexTech Alliance is to advance the growth, profitability and success of our member companies and organizations. Our programs are designed to share practical experience and develop solutions for advancing displays, flexible and printed electronics, and related technologies from R&D to commercialization. 1/27/2011 3
The Vision for Flexible Electronics: An Evolution of Human-Scale Systems Large, Flexible & Deformable these attributes will enable products that are human-scale and directly interact with people or the environment on a large scale! Large Human-Scale Systems Flex and Deform New products and industries Intelligent medical bandages Intelligent solar cells Interactive clothing Environmental monitoring 4
The National Science Foundation Recognizes the Potential of Flexible Electronics Scientific research and technological developments are replete with examples of breakthroughs that have advanced the frontiers of knowledge, but in themselves do not constitute paradigm shifts. Flexible electronics, however, represents a highly promising interdisciplinary pursuit that will provide greatly increased functionality and the potential to meet future technological challenges. Dr. Usha Varshney National Science Foundation 2 nd International Symposium in Plastic Electronics October 2006 5
Nanomarkets Forecast 2010-2017 $19B <$2B 1/27/2011 6
$2.1B The Market Will Shift Between 2010 and 2020 $56.75B 34% Predominately Printed 18% Flexible OLED $900 million Photovoltaics $400 million (Excluding CdTe and Conventional Silicon) Other inks: $400 million Sensors: $120 million E-paper displays $100 million Inorganic Electroluminescent displays $60 million Logic and memory $10 million Others $80 million (Batteries, other displays etc) Source: IDTechEx 83% Predominately Printed 75% Flexible OLED Display & Lighting $19 billion Photovoltaics $17 billion (Excluding CdTe and Conventional Silicon) Transistors: $8 Billion Other inks: $2 billion Sensors: $1.6 billion E-paper displays $6 billion Inorganic Electroluminescent displays $0.4 billion Others $2.75 billion (Batteries, other displays etc)
Challenges Remain In Commercialization Obtaining R&D funding Developing prototypes Transitioning to manufacturing Cost of initial tooling/roi Establishing high volume production capability High volume quality assurance & control Identifying future technology and market needs 11
What is Needed for Flexible Electronics? FlexTech funded R&D in all these areas (source: Nanomarkets) 1/27/2011 9
Flexible TFT Array Ultra Flexible TFT Array Sheet from Tokyo University 1/27/2011 10
Smart Packaging Enhances the Customer s Experience Promotes Informs Entertain Prompts Resets Reminds Recommends Helpful Motivates Lights Sounds Interactive Multiple Touch Points Communicates Secures Connection Theft Deterrence Tamper Evident Screamer Tag RFID: Attached to smart package Anti-counterfeit Wired or Wireless Interactive Updates Ease of Use Programs MeadWestvaco Corporation 1/27/2011
Flexible Displays
Solid State Lighting OLEDs Have a Bright Future OLED lighting is already being implemented in high end automobiles Other auto makers will follow suit. Look for more OLED lighting for use in homes as fluorescent bulbs are being phased out due to efficiency requirements and manufacturers develop low cost production techniques.
OLED Lighting
Photovoltaics Provide Plentiful, Clean Energy Printed solar power is already a reality and is making the move from the laboratory into the marketplace reducing carbon emissions and providing power to remote areas.
Flexible PV
Sensors Are Ubiquitous Integrate Physical and Virtual Worlds Touch technology improves communications, business efficiency, and accuracy of on-screen actions. Monitor Vital Health Signals Researchers have created and tested a new type of implantable device for measuring the heart s electrical output. The device represents the first use of flexible silicon technology for a medical application. Track Inventory One of the world s largest retailers plans to use electronic ID tags to track clothing. This is the first step in a system that may better control inventory.
1st Movers Apparel supervisor Sonia Barrett uses a handheld scanner to read EPC labels on men's denim jeans on July 19, while checking inventory at the Walmart Supercenter Store No. 1 in Rogers, Ark. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to roll out sophisticated electronic ID tags to track individual pairs of jeans and underwear, the first step in a system that advocates say better controls inventory but some critics say raises privacy concerns.
2010 - Trends and Comparisons by Region East Asia 600 Organizations North America 750 Organizations Europe 775 Organization Most work in Japan (Korea moving fast, may overtake) Weak government backing outside of military Most effort in Germany. Holland, UK, Sweden also hot Strong government backing in most aspects Many startups involved. Giants often slow/unfocussed Strongest government backing in most aspects (Germany) Few startups but many giants involved Strong in materials and process development (inorganic and organic) Many large and small companies involved. Few startups Defending the massive display business buying those in the West e.g. Eink, CDT etc. (OLED displays, OLED lighting, e-paper etc) Developing transistors for display backplanes and other applications Source: IDTechEx Usually successfully large user market (Amazon Kindle reader, Hasbro/Tink games, skin patches) Strong in materials and process development (mainly organic) Strong in PV manufacture (but loosing ground)
Many Opportunities Exist Within the Value Chain 1/27/2011 20
Two Paths to Commercialization? Good enough devices -Suitable substrate -Identify materials set -Qualify a printing process -Move to R2R High performance devices -Suitable substrate -Construct materials -Build prototype tools -Sheet or roll -Lower processing temperatures Conformable substrate -Polymer -Metal foil(s) -Glass -Other Substrate as a system of materials
Summary Why Flexible Electronics? Form and Fit Conformable substrates open up enormous application spaces Textiles, buildings, paper Cost Traditional IC lithography and vacuum processing are costly Mix and match printing R2R provides significant savings if the target is good enough Ecology Additive processes vs. removal Why Now? Electronics industry always searching for new technology for markets Start-up capital available e.g., Kovio, Novaled, Plextronics Early adopters available Military, Wal-Mart High volume consumers seeking ideas solutions Dole, P&G, SmithKline Glaxo Early results promising 1/27/2011 22
Thank you! www.flextech.org 1/27/2011 23