Dov Phillips | IDS: Is it possible to direct-write fully functional, high-precision transistors in a single multi-material sequential print run?
00:09:04 - 00:11:28
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Summary of the clip:
Can aerosol jet deposition eliminate the substrate bottleneck in organic semiconductor device integration?
Printed electronics has long sought a seamless, multi-material deposition process capable of fabricating active components directly onto functional surfaces. Aerosol jet printing addresses this challenge by enabling the sequential deposition of conductors, dielectrics, and organic semiconductors within a single, continuous process flow. By eliminating the need for separate substrate transfer steps, this approach opens new pathways for integrating high-performance sensors and active matrix backplanes directly onto existing device architectures.
The precise control of layer thickness is critical when engineering thin-film transistors (TFTs) with optimized operating voltages and switching speeds. Traditional printing methods often suffer from excessive wet film thicknesses, but aerosol deposition allows for highly controlled, sub-micron to low-micron dielectric layers, such as polyimide, without compromising dielectric strength. This precise volumetric control minimizes parasitic capacitance and gate leakage, which are vital parameters for high-sensitivity radiation detectors and flexible sensor arrays.
Furthermore, the spatial resolution of this additive process allows for significant scaling of critical device dimensions, such as the transistor channel length. Shrinking the gate gap from initial wide-spaced prototypes down to high-density configurations demonstrates the high-precision alignment and narrow line-width capabilities of the technology. Performing this entire multi-material sequence on a single heated vacuum chuck optimizes solvent evaporation rates and layer registration, dramatically accelerating production throughput.
In this short video, you can learn:
* How aerosol jet printing enables direct-write fabrication of multi-material organic transistors without transfer substrates.
* The advantages of ultra-thin dielectric deposition for optimizing device geometry and performance.
* How scaling critical gate dimensions and utilizing a heated vacuum chuck improves production efficiency.
π **Clip Abstract** The speaker discusses the additive fabrication of fully functioning transistors for radiation detectors using aerosol jet printing to deposit silver, polyimide dielectrics, and TIPS-pentacene semiconductors. He explains how the process evolved from printing on Kapton to direct-on-device deposition, highlighting the benefits of thin-layer control, gate dimension reduction, and sequential multi-material processing on a single heated chuck.
π€ Speaker: Dov Phillips
π’ Company: IDS
π
Event: Printed Electronics Innovation Day 2024
π Location: TechBlick | Online Platform
π Learn more at the next TechBlick event: https://www.techblick.com
#AerosolJetPrinting, #OTFTs, #TIPSpentacene, #DirectWriteElectronics, #PrintedElectronics, #FlexibleElectronics
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00:01:46 - 00:03:45
Can aerosol printing eliminate the need for complex surface mapping on non-planar substrates?
Can aerosol printing eliminate the need for complex surface mapping on non-planar substrates?
Traditional non-contact print technologies struggle to maintain high fidelity when printing on non-planar substrates, often requiring complex z-axis surface mapping. Aerosol jet printing addresses this by utilizing an ultrasonic atomizer to generate a highly collimated mist, enabling a standoff distance of up to 10 millimeters from the substrate. This massive working distance allows for seamless printing over 3D topologies without active surface-tracking adjustments.
The newest Gen 2 platform transitions aerosol jet printing from an R&D curiosity into an industrial-ready manufacturing system. It has demonstrated continuous operation of up to 30 hours with minimal deviation in trace width and deposition volume. This long-term process stability is vital for scaling micro-additive electronics manufacturing.
Physically, the system can achieve feature sizes down to 15 microns in line width and up to 2 millimeters in a single pass. Thickness is equally customizable, spanning from thin sub-100 nanometer traces to dense 10-micron structures depending on atomizer voltage, translation speed, and aerosol concentration.
In this short video, you can learn:
* How ultrasonic atomization enables a 10mm non-contact standoff distance for 3D surfaces
* Performance data showing continuous 30-hour print stability on the Gen 2 platform
* Physical limits of the process, including 15-micron line widths and sub-100-nanometer trace thicknesses
π **Clip Abstract** This clip covers the physical principles and core performance specifications of the Gen 2 aerosol jet printing system. It explains how high standoff distances and long-term process stability enable non-contact, micro-additive electronics manufacturing on complex, non-planar surfaces.
#AerosolJetPrinting, #UltrasonicAtomization, #NonPlanarPrinting, #MicroAdditiveManufacturing, #PrintedElectronics, #FlexibleElectronics
00:04:28 - 00:06:18
How do 2.2-micron 2D MXenes pass through aerosol nozzles designed for sub-100-nanometer particles?
How do 2.2-micron 2D MXenes pass through aerosol nozzles designed for sub-100-nanometer particles?
While aerosol jet printing offers incredible precision, it imposes specific rheological constraints on ink formulation. The native viscosity threshold is typically capped around 10 centipoise (cP), though highly viscous pastes up to 300 cP can be diluted to suit the system. Controlling fluid properties and solvent evaporation within the atomizer is critical to preventing nozzle clogging.
Particle size represents another critical constraint, with standard recommendations requiring solids to remain below 100 nanometers. However, novel two-dimensional materials like MXenes present a fascinating exception to this rule. Despite having average lateral flake dimensions of 2.2 microns, their ultra-thin 2D geometry allows them to fit perfectly inside the average 3-micron aerosol droplets without clogging the nozzle.
Beyond MXenes, the system successfully deposits various functional materials including conductors (gold, silver, platinum), semiconductors, polymers, and dielectrics. This broad material compatibility enables researchers and engineers to deposit multi-functional layers through a single process.
In this short video, you can learn:
* Viscosity thresholds for aerosol inks and methods for diluting high-viscosity pastes
* The physics of how 2D MXene flakes bypass traditional sub-100-nanometer particle size limits
* The diverse library of depositable materials, from precious metals to polymers and dielectrics
π **Clip Abstract** This segment details the fluidic and geometric constraints of aerosol jet inks, explaining viscosity limits and dilution strategies. It highlights the unique physical mechanics of printing 2D MXenes, proving that lateral flake size can exceed normal droplet diameter limitations.
#AerosolJetPrinting, #MXenes, #InkRheology, #TwoDimensionalMaterials, #PrintedElectronics, #FlexibleElectronics