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"Toshiba, the Japanese world-leader in development of perovskite photovoltaic modules for next-generation solar power generation, has developed a new coating method for the perovskite layer that boosts power conversion efficiency (PCE) to 15.1% for Toshiba’s 703cm^2 module, the highest for any large, polymer film-based perovskite photovoltaic module. The innovative coating method for perovskite layer also greatly reduces production time and costs, contributing to a lower cost for solar power generation." "Success in achieving carbon neutrality will require much greater use of photovoltaic power generation, and a significant expansion in locations where photovoltaic modules can be installed. Today’s most widely used photovoltaic modules are made with crystalline silicon and are heavy, and this, plus their rigidity, limits where they can be installed. The polymer film-based perovskite photovoltaic module is an attractive next-generation alternative, as it is thin, light and flexible, and can be installed in locations where it is difficult to use silicon photovoltaic modules, such as low load-bearing roofs and office windows. Recent improvements in the PCE of perovskite photovoltaic modules has brought them to a level comparable to that of silicon photovoltaic modules." "Toshiba’s latest breakthrough is the development of a new perovskite layer coating method. The company previously developed a two-step coating process that first applied a layer of PbI2 (lead iodide) ink to a substrate, followed by a layer of MAI (methyammonium iodide, CH3NH3I) ink, triggering a reaction that formed an MAPbI3 layer. However, this multi-step approach had a low coating rate and often left unreacted sections in the perovskite layer (Figure 1, left). The alternative is a one-step process that applies MAPbI3 ink directly, but it is not easy to control crystallization of the MAPbI3 and obtain a uniform perovskite layer across a large area (Figure 1, right). A new coating method that solves these problems was required." "Toshiba has developed a one-step meniscus coating method that uses improved ink, film drying processes and production equipment to form a uniform perovskite layer over an area as large as 703cm^2. These innovations halve the steps for deposition of the perovskite layer, and raise the coating speed to 6 meters per minute on a 5×5 cm^2 module, a rate that meets requirements for mass production (Figure 2, left)." "Applied to Toshiba’s previously reported 703cm^2 polymer film-based perovskite photovoltaic modules, the one-step meniscus coating method achieves a PCE of 15.1%, the world's highest ever for a polymer film-based large-area perovskite photovoltaic module. (Figure 2, right). This higher PCE and the faster, simplified production process, significantly advance progress toward the commercialization of highly efficient, low-cost, polymer film-based perovskite photovoltaic modules." "Toshiba’s printing technology for the production of film-based perovskite solar cell modules involves forming the substrate with a resin film, such as polyethylene terephthalate. It uses a planar inverted structure that can be produced at a temperature below 150 degrees Celsius for the cell structure. The company managed to form a uniform thin layer of methylammonium lead iodide by utilizing a meniscus printing technology that is developed by conducting research on organic thin-film solar cells. It is said that this improves the efficiency of panels by lowering the degree to which the cells vary from each other." "The flexible and lightweight panel is indicated by Toshiba as suitable for locations where it is difficult to install conventional crystalline silicon modules, such as low-load-bearing roofs and office windows. “Toshiba estimates that the new perovskite photovoltaic modules would generate power equivalent to two-thirds of the annual power consumption by homes in Tokyo if installed on a roof area of 164.9km^2, roughly equal to the roof surface area of all buildings in Tokyo,” the manufacturer further explained." "Toshiba will continue research on perovskite photovoltaic modules, aiming to increase PCE to 20% or more, and to enlarge the active area to 900cm2, the size required for practical application. The company estimates achieving these targets will cut the manufacturing cost of perovskite photovoltaic modules to \15/W (approx. $0.14/W)." "The newly developed coating technology and the perovskite solar modules that apply it are research results under a New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) project, Development of Technologies to Promote Photovoltaic Power Generation as a Main Power Source." For more information visit https://www.global.toshiba/ww/technology/corporate/rdc/rd/topics/21/2109-01.html https://www.pv-magazine.com/2021/09/09/toshiba-achieves-efficiency/ ^900cm^2,

Axxicon offers a microfluidic bonding technology guide and webinar to ease the decision of choosing the suitable microfluidic bonding for a high-quality consumable product. Figuring out the key criteria to consider and how several technical choices, at different stages of the process impact each other can be stressful when choosing the right microfluidic bonding technique. As an engineer, you must address design and process issues early to produce a high-quality consumable product. Requirements for the selection of your bonding process Each microfluidic product and application has unique requirements, and the bonding process you choose must meet those criteria as well. Common requirements are: Optical properties In some applications, it is essential to compromise the optical properties of the consumable like transparency, prevent autofluorescence Chemical and biological compatibility Biocompatibility, contact of reagents or samples with glues, VOCs Pressure stability For some applications pressures within the consumable can increase. Channel dimensions integrity The dimensions of structures like channels or cavities should stay within tolerance after bonding Design limitations Not all bonding processes might be compatible with all designs. Distance of features, available surface for bonding, this all can be relevant Reagent storage on-chip (before bonding) For example coatings or bio-reagents can be stored on-chip, but can they also survive the bonding process? Material compatibility Not all bonding processes work with all materials Shelf life How will the consumable be stored? Will there be reagents in the consumable during storage? Scalability and cost In product development scalability and cost is always relevant. In the end, the bonded product has to be produced in volumes and for a certain target price. It can be challenging to put these requirements together and choose a suitable process as there is no black and white answer. Luckily, we have outlined methods for selecting the best process for your specific application requirements in the remainder of this article. Also, our webinar on-demand will give you additional insight. Common bonding technologies There are a variety of bonding techniques available, some of which are more advanced than others. Let's look at the more mature ones that are commonly utilized in microfluidic consumables currently. Solvent Bonding With this technique, a solvent is used to form a strong, long-lasting bond between two polymer layers. This method is extremely adaptable and can be used with virtually any microfluidic design. However, if you add bio-reagents before bonding, this will not be a suitable option. The time required to bond a product is relatively long (10s of seconds), which will have an impact on the final price of the polymer consumable. Thermal Bonding Because no additives are used, this method provides a very pure and very strong material bond. As this process involves heat, no biochemicals or bio-materials should be present on the chip prior to bonding. The used heat can also cause some deformation of the microfluidic structures. The time it takes to bond layers together with this technique is longer, making it a costly operation with limited scaling possibilities. Adhesive Bonding This bonding process is extremely versatile due to the numerous options for application techniques, adhesive types, and curing parameters when necessary. Almost any structure can be bonded, and the process is simple to optimize. It is easy to scale up the process and offers a low-cost solution for producing microfluidic consumables in small to large quantities. However, it might not be compatible with all assays and in some cases might affect the dimensions of the microfluidic structures. Not all microfluidic designs might be compatible with the application methods. Shelf life varies per adhesive. Tape assisted bonding There is a wide range of tapes available that are suitable for a broad variety of products and assays. It is a low-cost process that is ideal for rapid testing and development. Tape surface properties can be customized. However, high hydrophilic tapes are hard to come by. Thinner tapes are difficult to process and can present difficulties, such as tape folding, and trapping bubbles. Laser welding Using this process the bond is formed by melting layers together with a laser. It creates a very pure and strong bond. The time required to form this type of bond is short, and it provides in-line capabilities for a production line. However, as the processing time increases with the complexity of the microfluidic structures it might not be a low-cost process for some consumables. Also most laser welding processes available need a non-transparent part for bonding. Ultrasonic welding In this technique, energy directors use ultrasonic vibrations to create a pure bond between the layers. It is a fast process using a well-established technology with a low development effort. This process, however, has an impact on your microfluidic design because energy directors must be implemented. Also if your product has very small and intricate features, this may not be the most accurate bonding method for your product. But how to decide? With all of this information, how do you choose the bonding process that is best for your unique polymer consumables, assay, and set up? Returning to the requirements for microfluidic bonding mentioned earlier, we can examine the various bonding technologies that can meet those requirements. The image below depicts the most appropriate microfluidic bonding technologies for the aforementioned requirements. Source: https://blog.axxicon.com/microfluidic-bonding-technology-guide-for-polymer-consumables

ISBC and Sappi have collaborated to present an innovative new smart paper with embedded RFID chips. The chips are embedded into the paper sheets causing no effect over the paper surface – it remains flat and smooth. "Printed electronics are decidedly on the move. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is no longer a niche technology. It is already being used to great effect in many areas of everyday life: in our passports, ID cards and travel cards, clothes, library books, and much more. The vast scale and intricacy of the RFID market also offer new opportunities for the printing industry. " "With this in mind, ISBC from Singapore has developed and presented on the market an innovative product: ISBC RFID Paper. The product is sheet-fed and made with 100% fiber-based Swiss Matt paper substrate from specialty paper manufacturer Sappi. The smart RFID Paper supplier was looking for an alternative to plastic for smart printing and Sappi’s Swiss Matt paper – used mostly as an inkjet paper for large-format printing – was settled on due to its white surface, print results, and scratch- and water resistance. The companies also report that the product is as easy to print as a regular sheet of paper, reportedly making it a cost-efficient solution for printers." "Another advantage of the ‘sandwich product’ is that it can be printed with various kinds of printing techniques and machines – therefore eliminating costly in-house development work and avoiding investments in new equipment, software, and business processes. The desired information can simply be transferred to the paper-embedded RFID chip: for the encoding process, ISBC has developed a special encoding machine and training materials. ISBC RFID Paper line made from Swiss Matt is used mainly for business cards, postcards, stickers, promotional flyers, POS materials, access & loyalty cards, brand protection labels, diplomas among many other applications." "In terms of resource conservation and environmental protection, RFID Paper delivers significant advantages over conventional plastic tags. Ivan Demidov, ISBC founder, and inventor says: “Our patented technology is unique on the market. It offers end-users a PVC-free, more sustainable, and future-proof option.” Paper-based RFID tags reduce waste both during production and at the end of the product’s lifecycle. Printing processes also consume less energy and resources, which leads to a reduced carbon footprint for forward-looking, sustainability-conscious B2B and B2C companies." "ISBC RFID Paper is suitable for a wide range of applications in numerous industries. Specifically, it can be used for contactless tickets on buses, trains, trams, and other means of transportation, as well as for prepaid cards and gift cards, business cards, and access control, including key cards for hotel rooms, ski passes, or admission wristbands for events and trade fairs. The paper-based sensors and labels can also be integrated into diplomas and other certificates to verify document authenticity. Conventional postcards can also be enhanced by integrating an RFID tag with interactive URLs." Sources: https://www.labelsandlabeling.com/news/new-products/sappi-and-isbc-develop-rfid-paper https://ope-journal.com/news/sappi-and-isbc-smart-paper-with-embedded-rfid-tags-opens-up-new-business-opportunities https://packagingeurope.com/sappi-and-isbc-bring-together-digital-and-paper-sectors/

Electrochromic displays are a rapidly emerging technology in the field of visual interfaces owing to their design versatility and cost-effective production. The technology is ideal for use in smart labels, consumer electronics, logistics monitoring, medical devices, smart cards, retail, and point of service applications "The Ynvisible Segment Display is an electrochromic display. It is categorized as a reflective display - meaning that it reflects ambient light instead of using a backlight. All layers are screen-printed on a plastic substrate. The display stack consists of organic layers including a plastic substrate, an electrochromic material, an electrolyte, and an electrode for each segment. Additional layers such as graphical overlays and circuits may be added if required." "Evaluate the ultra-low-power, thin, and flexible Segment Displays. Each kit contains different display designs and includes a manual display driver as well as a display driver with an I2C interface. "Electronics engineers and enthusiasts alike can now buy Ynvisible displays in several online marketplaces, improving market accessibility to electrochromic display technology." Ynvisible Store: https://www.ynvisible.com/product/seg... Digikey: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/d... Arduino Store: https://store.arduino.cc/products/seg... For more information: https://www.ynvisible.com/product/segment-display-kit

Speaker: Andy Behr | Company: Panasonic Electronic Materials | Date: 11-12 May 2021 | Full Presentation This presentation will explore the mega-trends driving the development of pliable circuit technologies and survey current material and construction options. The speaker will provide an update on the development of a novel, thermosetting stretchable film technology that has the potential to enable future generations of conformable devices for use in industries like health, medical, automotive and aerospace. Andy Behr Senior Technology Manager @ Panasonic Bio Andy Behr is a Technology Manager with Panasonic Electronic Materials Business. He leads a multi-national research and marketing team based in Silicon Valley that develops leading-edge materials for electronic device fabrication and other emerging applications. Andy holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in business administration. He has authored numerous technical papers and holds several patents. He has more than twenty-five years of experience in working with innovative electronic materials. Andy began his career in research and has subsequently held positions in marketing and business leadership. Join TechBlick on an annual pass to join all live online conference or online version of onsite conference access library of on-demand talks (600 talks + PDFs) portfolio of expert led masterclass year-round platform https://www.techblick.com/ And do NOT miss our flagship event in Berlin on 17-18 OCT 2023 focused on Reshaping the Future of Electronics. This event attracts 550-600 participants from all the world and offers a superb ambience and dynamic exhibition floor. To learn more visit https://www.techblick.com/electronicsreshaped To see feedback about previous event see https://www.techblick.com/events-agenda

A team of researchers at Seoul National University's Center for Nanoparticle Research has developed a foldable variant of an ultrathin quantum dot LED (QLED), inspired by the ancient art of paper folding known as origami, and published their work in nature electronics paper "Three-dimensional foldable quantum dot light-emitting diodes" "QLEDs use quantum dots (nanoscale semiconductor particles) for the emission of light. Thanks to their outstanding electroluminescence, they have attracted considerable attention as a candidate for the next generation of display technologies. QLED displays do not require any bulky components such as backlight units, potentially allowing them to be manufactured with ultrathin form factors." "The researchers endowed foldability to the conventional planar QLED via a new fabrication process that can partially etch the epoxy film deposited on the QLED surface without damaging the underlying QLED. Using a power-controllable carbon dioxide pulsed laser and the silver-aluminum alloy-based etch-stop layers, the etching depth can be precisely controlled. As the laser-etched part of the device is relatively thinner than the surrounding region, it is possible to etch out deformation lines along which the device can be folded like origami paper." "Based on the selective laser-etching technique, researchers were able to precisely control the radius of curvature down to less than 50 micrometers. Under such a small curvature radius, the fold line resembles a sharp edge with no visible curvature. By using mechanical stimulation to carefully engineer the device, researchers were able to minimize the strain loaded on the light-emitting components. The entire QLED including the crease region (a fold line) was able to maintain a stable light-emitting performance even when after it was repeatedly folded 500 times. The technology was applied to fabricate 3D foldable QLEDs with various complex shapes such as butterflies, airplanes, and pyramids." “We were able to build a 3D foldable QLED that can be freely folded just like a paper artwork,” said Professor Kim Dae-Hyeong of Seoul National University. “By fabricating the passively driven, 3D foldable QLED arrays composed of 64 individual pixels, we have shown the possibility of developing displays with greater complexity in the future.” Hyeon Taeghwan, the director of the Center for Nanoparticle Research, states that “Through the technology reported in this research, paper-like QLEDs that can be folded into various complex structures have been successfully fabricated. Who knows when the day will come when electronic paper with a display unit can replace real paper?” Source: https://compoundsemiconductor.net/article/113663/QLEDs_that_fold_like_origami https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2021/09/ultrathin-qled-folded-into-origami-structures/

A group of researchers at the Institute of Microstructure Technology, Light Technology Institute & Thin Film Technology (TFT) at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology has published an RRL Solar article "Correlative In Situ Multichannel Imaging for Large-Area Monitoring of Morphology Formation in Solution-Processed Perovskite Layers" highlighting a novel method for measuring the quality of large-area thin films in a threefold manner: Reflectance, Photoluminescence (PL) intensity and PL emission wavelength in a fast and simultaneous way. "Optical (or IR) techniques have the advantages that they can be easily used for monitoring common solution processing methods such as spin coating or blade coating and that they can provide large-area information at low cost using cameras as imaging detectors, while the necessary large-area excitation can be provided by high-power light-emitting diodes. Luminescence and reflectance imaging on large areas—established already in other PV technologies as silicon, GaAs, CdTe, and CIGS—as well as luminescence microscopy, demonstrated to yield critical information on the perovskite thin-film quality and the performance of devices incorporating these films. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is currently no technique available combining both imaging capability on large areas and rapid real-time operation for analyzing the dynamics of the perovskite formation." "In response, we developed an in situ monitoring technique based on a commercially available scientific camera, an inexpensive ring light source, and a 3D printed rapidly rotating filter wheel that is able to generate sequences of images of reflectance, photoluminescence (PL) intensity, and an estimation of the central PL emission wavelength at a “frame-rate” of 3 fps each. This technique, which we call in situ multichannel imaging (IMI), enables the dynamic stages, I–IV, to be tracked in both space and time. To provide idealized conditions for testing the capability of IMI, we maintain full control of the airflow and temperature over the sample. With this idealized reference at hand, we will demonstrate that IMI would be useful in industrial-scale coating lines."

With the equipment of AFS Entwicklungs + Vertriebs GmbH, NORCOP demonstrates the significance of the surface chemistry of polymer substrates used in conductive ink screen printing, and how its modification by MOLECULAR COATING™ achieves low resistivity, defect-free, reliable, and compact flexible electrical circuits. "MOLECULAR COATING™ is a plasma-induced surface deposition technology allowing the deposition of transparent thin coatings on the surface of various 2D plastic, paper, and textile substrates. It performs exceptionally well in screen printing of conductive inks, while preliminary results using inkjet printing have been very promising. When the right ink-substrate pair has been identified and used, the main characteristics of these thin layers are surface roughness and surface chemistry control, which lead to perfect wetting (zero pinholes) and adhesion. These characteristics afford the printer the following benefits:" Absence of PINHOLES leads to increased conductivity in electrical circuits: often more than two times higher when compared to those printed on standard commercial PET. Surface Roughness Control, achieved by varying the thickness of the deposited film, impacts the adhesion of the ink due to modification of the ink-substrate interlocking mechanisms (@Van Der Waals interactions) Surface Chemistry Control, achieved by the introduction of carefully selected chemical functions on the surface of the substrate, ensures high energy covalent bonding between the MOLECULAR COATING™ and the resins present in the ink. These in turn affect: The adhesion of the MOLECULAR COATING™ with the base substrate (PET or other) Adhesion of the MOLECULAR COATING™ with the printed ink Adhesion of the MOLECULAR COATING™ with the dielectric varnish The resistance to deformation upon repeated bending (flexible organic coating) The resistance to heat defects which occur during circuit operation (hot spots) "The systems used in printing with metal-containing inks, circuits printed on NORCOP's substrates show narrow lines, 30-500 µm in width which is straight, with regular edges and constant interline spaces all along the tracks. In this way, the risks of circuit failure or short circuit formation are eliminated." For more information:

On Wearable Medical Sensors, E-Textiles and Printed Electronics TechBlick is delighted to announce a Free-To-Attend exhibition and selected end-user presentations on 14 October 2021 between 16:30 to 19:30 CEST in their popular networking lounge. This is a Free-To-Attend session, part of the larger member-only event featuring world-class speakers on Wearable Medical Sensors, Printed Electronics, and E-Textiles. To see the full agenda click here. The Free-To-Attend session includes the following global end-user speakers: Ypsomed: Printed/Flexible Electronics for Drug Delivery Devices - Drivers & Tradeoffs Ravensburger: Printed Electronics in the Board Game Industry Metronic: Tech Innovations in Insulin Delivery Siemens Healthcare: Perovskites: The Emergence of a New Era for High-Resolving and Ultra-Sensitive Flat Panel X-Ray Detectors GE Healthcare: Disposable, Adjustable Clinical Grade Vital Sign Monitoring Systems Wiliot: How to Scale the IoT to Trillions – Sensing as a Service with Sticker Sized Computers Robert Sauvé Research Institute for Occupational Health and Safety: Smart Protective Equipment. In addition to these presentations there is also a major exhibition for you to enjoy. Giving you the opportunity to meet colleagues and potential new customers. This is an extremely interactive event, giving the buzz and feel of an in-person event. To see how it works, please click on the link here To register for this ‘must attend’ event click here Places are limited and demand will be high, so register today to guarantee your place. Our exhibitors include the following. Many will be there to meet you TechBlick has 1000+ members. Its members and speakers include: GE Healthcare, Facebook, LG Electronics, Sony, ST Micro, Luxottica, Ford, Samsung, TCL, BOE, Panasonic, FIAT, Audi, Hyundai Motor, Mitsubishi Materials, Nissan Chemical, Evonik, Momentive, Asahi Glass Corp, Murata, AUO, Stabilo, Boeing, Analog Devices, Google, Microsoft, ARM, Corning, Infineon, SK Innovation, P&G, Coca Cola, Microsoft, DuPont, Jabil, Dyson, Avery Dennison, Nexperia, Eastman Kodak Company, Airbus, Solvay, Boeing, Lamar Advertising, Merck, Novo Nordisk, Waymo, Texas Instruments, ABB, Swarovski, Flex, Jabil, Intel, WL Gore, BASF, GE Research, JX Nippon, Aixtron, Imec, CEA, Dai Nippon Printing, Delo, Henkel, Identiv, Hoya, IP Group, Schott, Siemens, Tata Steel, Volvo, Wuerth, PPG Industries, JC Decaux, Roche, Medtronic, ArcelorMittal and many more Add to your Calendar iCalendar| Google Calendar | MicrosoftOutlook Calendar | Office 365 Calendar | Yahoo Calendar

Kontakt.io Inc., the industry leader in Bluetooth ® Low Energy (BLE) indoor IoT solutions launched the world's smallest BLE beacon, and the first disposable wearable Nano Tag - to solve for worker safety, patient and visitor experience use cases for the healthcare, hospitality and events industries. "Addressing size and unit cost limitations of older generation RFID tags, Kontakt.io's BLE tag technology makes it possible for end-users to deploy truly disposable beacons in a wearable form factor that makes a host of new use cases possible, including those for event delegates, sports fans, building visitors or healthcare patient localization and the applications that take advantage of such real-time data. Kontakt.io's open API-First delivery architecture, coupled with BLE's promise for an open wireless standard that is vendor agnostic, stands to rapidly increase adoption of advanced use cases such as:" In healthcare, Nano Tag is used by staff to prevent patient wandering and elopement, to monitor patient procedure wait times, and better orchestrate emergency department and operating suites workflows; For trade shows and in large music and sports events, Nano Tag wristbands are used for crowd safety, emergency management and to enable new experience use cases such as location-aware food services, find my friend and other indoor location experiences; In smart buildings, wearable lanyards and wrist Nano Tags make it possible to monitor visitor movements inside buildings, improving facility security and overall safety. "This amazingly small and waterproof (IP67) device measures just 0.9 in (23 mm) x 0.7 in x 0.3 in (5.3mm) and only weighs 0.07 oz (2g). The Nano Tag is powered by a Silver Oxide, a non-toxic battery that provides up to three months of battery life transmitting once every second (1Hz), extendable to a full operating year at a slower location update rate." "The Nano Tag is powered by Bluetooth 5.0 technology, making it compatible with iOS and Android mobile devices, Kontakt.io low-cost BLE gateways and inherently supported by Cisco WiFi 6 and Cisco Meraki access point equipped with a BLE radio. AI Cloud-managed" "Amazingly-Simple-IoT™ solutions from Kontakt.io make it possible for a wide range of organizations to harness the power of IoT without the need to deploy massive IT resources or prohibit financial costs to transform building operations 'Smart'." "Continuing our standing commitment to innovation, we are thrilled to announce the Nano Tag today, taking yet another step in driving cost reduction and environmentally friendly products," said Rom Eizenberg, CRO at Kontakt.io. "Servicing increasing demand from our customer base, the Nano Tag eliminates the need for Lithium batteries while providing a truly wearable BLE device that redefines what is possible in tag miniaturization and performance," added Mr. Eizenberg. Nano Tags are available from USD $7.99 to $4.99 unit price through the Kontakt.io store, channel network, and in the Cisco IoT Device Marketplace. Sources https://www.wearabletechnologyinsights.com/articles/24800/worlds-smallest-ble-beacon-and-first-disposable-wearable-tag?rsst2id=143&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kontaktio-launches-nano-tag-the-worlds-smallest-affordable-disposable--wearable-ble-tag-301380372.html

Toppan printing develops the world’s first flexible TFT to withstand million bending cycles to a one-millimeter radius of curvature. "Flexible electronics are seen in foldable smartphones and their application is anticipated for wearable sensors, medical devices, smart packaging, and more. Organic TFTs are lightweight and flexible, but disadvantages include low carrier mobility, reliability, and durability. Inorganic TFTs provide high carrier mobility and have an established mass production process, but flexibility needs improvement. There is consequently the demand for new TFTs combining outstanding carrier mobility, flexibility, and durability." "Toppan, a global leader in communication, security, packaging, décor materials, and electronics solutions, has developed a flexible thin-film transistor (TFT) with an unprecedented combination of flexibility, durability, and carrier mobility. The new TFT withstands a million bending cycles to a 1 mm radius of curvature and demonstrates advantages for practical application, such as an on/off current ratio of at least 10^7 with carrier mobility of 10cm^2/Vs or more." "Leveraging unique technologies and a new structure, Toppan has created the world’s first TFT with the flexibility to be wound around a mechanical pencil lead, the durability of a flexible printed circuit board, and carrier mobility exceeding 10 times that of amorphous silicon TFTs. Flex testing shows no variation in carrier mobility and other properties before and after a million bending cycles to a 1 mm radius of curvature. Toppan aims to advance manufacturing technology, enhance flexibility, durability, and carrier mobility, and target the development of flexible sensors." "We have achieved unprecedented flexibility and durability by combining existing TFT technologies,” said Manabu Ito, development manager at Toppan. “This breakthrough raises the potential for ultra-thin, unbreakable flexible sheet sensors and stretchable devices in the future.” Source:https://www.toppan.com/en/news/2021/03/newsrelease210329e.html

Phoseon Technology has announced a new FireJet and FireEdge NIR Explorer. Near-InfraRed lamps that are aimed at curable adhesives, 3D printing, and pinning on low migration applications. Phoseon’s latest LED lamp, the FireEdge Explorer, uses NIR for curing Phoseon has built its entire business on developing LED lamps though up to now the company has concentrated on ultraviolet lamps. Simon Reissmann, a technical marketing engineer for Phoseon, says that the company constantly extends its LED wavelength portfolio so it’s a natural step to implement LEDs that emit in the Near InfraRed range. The NIR spectrum starts at around 800nm, where the visible light spectrum leaves off. Reissmann says these lamps can be used for new NIR-curable adhesives, adding: “Further, this technology is showing potential in pinning and improving print quality on water-based and hybrid inks, used for low migration, in inkjet printing before the final curing stage.” These LED systems are not yet powerful enough to fully cure and dry water-based prints in the way that, for example, an Adphos NIR system can but Reissman says that the NIR LED lamps have been shown to help print quality through pinning. He adds: “Another area of interest is 3D printing and keeping printed models and substrates contactless at the desired temperature.” Reissman continues: “NIR LED will not compete against UV LED but rather complement it for materials and applications that have a different absorption spectrum. The main advantages of the NIR LED versus existing NIR systems are its instant on/off capability, with no warm-up time, and its efficient energy use that makes it a substantially greener technology. We expect the sales price to be similar to our existing UV-A LED solutions.” Of the two new lamps, the FireJet NIR Explorer offers high power in an air-cooled package. The 20mm wide window guarantees that the energy is spread wider for a larger dose and exposure time in high-speed applications. The FireEdge NIR Explorer is a smaller variation of the FireJet and offers roughly 1/5th the output power with a 10mm wide rod lens. It has a small form factor that combined with the more focused rod lens output should be ideal for delivering high intensity at 5-10mm working distance. Source:https://phoseon.com/in-the-news/phoseon-develops-nir-led-lamps/