Solution-treatable ultra-thin substrates and related techniques

Abstract

Concepts, systems, methods, and machines are described for providing devices (e.g., electronic devices) on transferable ultra-thin substrates. The described concepts, systems, methods, and machines may be used to fabricate electronic devices on transferable ultra-thin substrates using solution-based (e.g., wet) processing techniques only. The described concepts, systems, methods, and machines may also be used to fabricate releasable substrates for electronic devices having some desired characteristics. A structure including the device is also described. The structure may include a device, a releasable substrate, and a removable release liner carrier. Systems, methods, and machines for removing a release liner carrier from a releasable substrate and device, for applying a releasable substrate and device to a permanent substrate, and for reusing a release liner carrier to manufacture another device are also described.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 385,092, filed on November 28, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 17 / 938,180, filed on October 5, 2022, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 252,974, filed on October 6, 2021, the entire contents of both applications are incorporated herein by reference. Background Art 1. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to techniques for making and using transferable ultrathin substrates. More specifically and without limitation, the present disclosure relates to systems, machines and methods for making devices on transferable ultrathin substrates in a rapid and scalable manner. A structure comprising a device and a transferable ultrathin substrate is also provided. The present disclosure also relates to the use of a structure comprising an ultrathin substrate and a device. 2. Background technology

[0005] Ultrathin semiconductor devices (e.g., ultrathin photovoltaic (PV) devices) can be fabricated on prefabricated substrates (e.g., plastic films and metal foils), or on substrates formed in situ (e.g., chemical vapor deposited parylene or solution processed polyimide). Due to their extremely thin shape and mechanical fragility, these devices are fabricated on carrier substrates and may delaminate at the completion of the device fabrication process. The presence of surface defects and thickness variations on prefabricated ultrathin substrates, as well as the challenges associated with handling such ultrathin substrates prior to lamination onto a carrier, have made the use of in situ deposited substrates more common.

[0006] By using additional encapsulation layers on top of the finished device, the overall geometry allows the functional components of the device to be located in the "neutral plane" (i.e., a plane that reduces or limits mechanical stress damage to the device when bent). In addition, lamination of the device onto a pre-stretched elastomer allows for the formation of buckled structures that thereafter exhibit excellent elasticity under mechanical bending and compression testing. In addition to PV, a large number of electronic and optoelectronic devices prepared in a similar manner have also been reported. Summary of the invention

[0007] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems, methods, and machines for forming devices (e.g., electronic devices) on transferable ultrathin substrates. The systems, methods, and machines can be used to manufacture electronic devices on transferable ultrathin substrates using only solution-based (e.g., wet) processing techniques. The systems, methods, and machines can also be used to manufacture releasable substrates with certain desired characteristics. Embodiments of the present disclosure also relate to structures including devices. A structure may include a device, a releasable substrate, and a removable release liner carrier. Embodiments of the present disclosure also relate to systems, methods, and machines for removing a release liner carrier from a releasable substrate and a device, for applying a releasable substrate and a device to a permanent substrate, and for reusing a release liner carrier to manufacture another device.

[0008] According to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods are provided for forming a releasable substrate on a release liner carrier by applying a solution to the release liner carrier, and forming an electronic device over the releasable substrate to produce a transferable electronic device.

[0009] The system and method may also include: using a solution including a soluble resin. The system and method may also include: using a solution including a soluble resin, the soluble resin being a polyester. The system and method may further include: using a release liner carrier including a silicone coating. The system and method may further include: identifying a characteristic of a releasable substrate; selecting a solution based on the identified characteristic; and applying the selected solution to the release liner carrier to produce a releasable substrate having the identified characteristic. The system and method may also include: the desired characteristic is an ultraviolet light filtering characteristic, and the concentration of an ultraviolet light filtering dye included in the solution may be further determined based on the ultraviolet light filtering characteristic, selecting a solution including an ultraviolet light filtering dye of the determined concentration, and applying the selected solution to form a releasable substrate having an ultraviolet light filtering characteristic. The system and method may further include: the desired characteristic is a thickness characteristic, and the concentration of a soluble resin included in the solution may be further determined based on the thickness characteristic, selecting a solution including an ultraviolet light filtering dye of the determined concentration, and applying the selected solution to form a releasable substrate having a thickness characteristic. The system and method can also form an electronic device by coating or printing a first solution on a releasable substrate to form a first functional layer of the electronic device, and by coating or printing a second solution on the first functional layer to form a second functional layer of the electronic device.

[0010] According to some embodiments, a structure including an electronic device is provided. The structure includes: a silicone-coated release liner carrier, a releasable substrate including a resin and formed on the silicone-coated release liner carrier, and an electronic device formed on the releasable substrate.

[0011] The structure may also include a releasable substrate that is polyester. The structure may further include a release liner carrier configured to be removed from the releasable substrate without damaging the releasable substrate or the electronic device. The structure may additionally include an electronic device that is a photovoltaic device. The structure may also include an electronic device composed of at least a first functional layer and a second functional layer, the first functional layer being attached to the releasable substrate. The structure may also include: the releasable substrate has ultraviolet filtering properties, moisture-proof properties, scratch-resistant properties, anti-reflective properties, or thickness properties. The structure may additionally include: the silicone-coated release liner carrier is flexible.

[0012] Additionally, in accordance with some embodiments, a method is provided that includes removing a silicone coated release liner carrier from a releasable substrate including a resin, wherein the releasable substrate is attached to an electronic device, and applying the releasable substrate and the electronic device to a permanent substrate.

[0013] The method may also include: reusing the silicone coated release liner carrier to form another electronic device. The method may also include: the permanent substrate is a fabric. The method may additionally include: the releasable substrate is formed of polyester. The method may also include: operating the electronic device on the permanent substrate.

[0014] Before explaining in detail exemplary embodiments consistent with the present disclosure, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited in its application to the construction details and arrangements set forth in the following description or shown in the accompanying drawings. The present disclosure can be practiced and executed in various ways. In addition, it should be understood that the wording and terminology used herein and in the abstract are for descriptive purposes and should not be considered as limiting.

[0015] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory only and are not restrictive of the subject matter, as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] By referring to the figures in the accompanying drawings, the manner and process of making and using the disclosed embodiments can be understood. It should be understood that the components and structures shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but the emphasis is on illustrating the principles of the concepts described herein. In different views, the same reference numerals may represent corresponding parts.

[0017] Figure 1 is a flow chart of an exemplary method for fabricating a structure including a device, according to some embodiments.

[0018] Figure 2A is an atomic force micrograph of an exemplary release liner carrier according to some embodiments.

[0019] Figure 2Bis an atomic force micrograph of an exemplary release liner carrier according to some embodiments, wherein a resin film releasable substrate is coated on a surface of the release liner carrier.

[0020] Figure 3 is a flow chart of an exemplary method for making a releasable substrate having properties, according to some embodiments.

[0021] Figure 4 is a graph of light transmittance characteristics of exemplary releasable substrates formed on release liner carriers having different concentrations of UV absorbing dyes according to some embodiments.

[0022] Figure 5 An exemplary system for performing the methods disclosed herein is shown according to some embodiments.

[0023] Figure 6 Exemplary methods for using a completed electronic device on a transferable ultra-thin substrate are shown in accordance with some embodiments.

[0024] Figure 7 Another exemplary system for performing the methods disclosed herein is shown in accordance with some embodiments.

[0025] Figure 8 Examples of coaters, printers, and laminators are provided according to some embodiments.

[0026] Fig. 9A is a top view of an exemplary electronic device on an exemplary transferable substrate according to some embodiments.

[0027] Fig. 9B is an image of an exemplary device on an exemplary transferable substrate according to some embodiments.

[0028] Fig. 9C is a cross-sectional side view of an exemplary battery that may be part of a device on a transferable substrate according to some embodiments.

[0029] Fig.9D is a cross-sectional side view of an exemplary device on a transferable substrate according to some embodiments.

[0030] Fig.9E is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary process for making and using a device on a transferable substrate according to some embodiments.

[0031] Fig.9F are images of exemplary processes and equipment for using a device on a transferable substrate according to some embodiments.

[0032] Figure 9Gis a flow chart of an exemplary method for fabricating a device on a transferable substrate according to some embodiments.

[0033] Figure 9H is a schematic diagram of an exemplary system for making and using devices on transferable substrates according to some embodiments.

[0034] Fig.9I are images illustrating an exemplary process for using a device on a transferable substrate according to some embodiments.

[0035] Figure 9J are graphs and tables illustrating exemplary characteristics of devices on transferable substrates according to some embodiments.

[0036] Fig.10 is a cross-sectional side view of an exemplary module of a device on a transferable substrate according to some embodiments.

[0037] Fig.11A is an image of an exemplary free-standing device on a transferable substrate according to some embodiments.

[0038] Fig. 11B is an image of an exemplary device on a transferable substrate and laminated to a composite fabric according to some embodiments.

[0039] Fig.12 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary computing environment in accordance with some embodiments.

[0040] Fig.13 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary computer system in accordance with some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, certain examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0042] In the following description, numerous specific details about the concepts, systems, machines, methods and devices of the disclosed subject matter and the environments in which such systems, machines, methods and devices operate, etc. are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed subject matter. However, after reading the description provided herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed subject matter can be practiced without such specific details. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain features known in the art are not described in detail to avoid making the description of the concepts, systems, machines, methods and devices described herein unnecessarily complicated. In addition, it should be understood that the embodiments provided below are exemplary, and it is conceivable that there are other systems, machines, methods and devices within the scope of the concepts and subject matter disclosed herein.

[0043] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to concepts and techniques for manufacturing and using transferable ultra-thin substrates. These substrates may be, for example, less than 50 μm thick, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. More specifically and without limitation, the present disclosure relates to concepts, systems and methods for manufacturing transferable ultra-thin substrates in an efficient and scalable manner. The present disclosure also relates to concepts and structures including devices on transferable ultra-thin substrates. The present disclosure also relates to the use of structures including ultra-thin substrates and devices.

[0044] Also described is the transfer lamination of the releasable electronic device to a permanent substrate. An example of a permanent substrate can be a fabric (e.g., any type of cloth or any other material). In some embodiments, the fabric can be a woven fabric or a non-woven fabric. In some embodiments, the fabric can be made by weaving and / or knitting fibers. In some embodiments, the permanent substrate can be a tear-resistant fabric, such as a thermoplastic polyethylene (e.g., high modulus polyethylene). In some embodiments, the permanent substrate can be an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), such as sold by Aveint and sold under the trade name Composite fabrics are provided. In some embodiments, releasable electronic devices can be transferred to a lightweight, high-strength composite substrate, such as a lightweight, high-strength composite fabric (i.e., a fabric comprising two or more different materials) or other materials or substrates that would otherwise not be suitable for direct integration into a manufacturing process for manufacturing the electronic device. The ability to prepare such electronic devices and transfer them to a permanent substrate enables the use of electronic devices with a large number of different types of surfaces (including but not limited to fabrics). Such surfaces can be placed on, around, or around a person. Therefore, the concepts, systems, devices and techniques described herein enable the realization of active, lightweight, flexible surfaces and the incorporation of such surfaces into a variety of systems.

[0045] Thus, this article describes a method for producing a novel nanostructured ... Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9H Concepts, systems, machines, structures, devices and techniques for preparing ultra-lightweight electronic devices (e.g., ultra-thin, ultra-lightweight photovoltaic (PV) devices) are described. Integration of such devices (e.g., ultra-thin, ultra-lightweight photovoltaic (PV) devices) on other surfaces by transfer lamination is also described. Using the concepts, systems, machines, structures, devices and techniques described herein, printed electronic devices on durable ultra-thin substrates can be arranged or otherwise integrated or added to other systems, circuits and / or devices.

[0046] The ability to fabricate electronic devices (e.g., PV devices) at a variety of scales (from a few microns to many square meters in area) enables the concepts and techniques described herein to find a place in a wide range of applications that would otherwise not work. Printed electronic devices are suitable for (and in some cases may be ideal for use in) emerging applications such as wearable devices, Internet of Things (IOT) devices, and on-skin / in-tissue diagnostic tools.

[0047] The scalable manufacturing of ultra-thin devices through the concepts and techniques described herein enables devices to perform tasks such as generating electricity or providing wireless communications while maintaining a small footprint. Combining these benefits with the ability to process these devices on ultra-thin substrates (e.g., on micrometer thicknesses) enables ultra-thin electronic devices to achieve a paradigm in which any selected surface can be powered by the use of attached electronic devices (e.g., much like a sticker) without significantly increasing weight or profile. In particular, in certain applications such as electric vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), and skinned electronics, it is critical to add electronic functionality without adding too much weight, as excessive weight may offset the benefits of the additional electronic capabilities and become a major barrier to integration of alternatives to existing silicon devices.

[0048] More generally, it should be understood that the concepts, systems, structures, devices, and techniques described herein are not limited to any particular type of electronic device. Rather, the concepts, systems, structures, devices, and techniques described herein can be used in conjunction with any type of electronic and / or optoelectronic device. Thus, once the releasable substrate is formed, any device including, but not limited to, a PV, a display (e.g., an organic light emitting diode (OLED)), a sensor, a radio frequency (RF) identification (ID) tag, an antenna, or other computing architecture (e.g., a flexible computer chip) can be placed on the releasable substrate or otherwise formed or coupled to the releasable substrate.

[0049] In one aspect, a technique for making a releasable device from a flexible carrier is described. This technique enables a manufacturable process because the flexible carrier is suitable for large-scale continuous manufacturing (e.g., roll-to-roll processing), rather than manufacturing the device on a solid substrate (e.g., glass or silicon that requires batch processing). It should be understood that the release of the device and the releasable substrate from the release liner carrier does not necessarily need to occur before the device is applied (e.g., adhered) to a permanent substrate. The release can occur before, simultaneously with, or after the device is applied to the permanent substrate.

[0050] Ultrathin semiconductor devices (e.g., ultrathin photovoltaic (PV) devices) can be fabricated on prefabricated substrates (e.g., plastic films and metal foils), or on substrates formed in situ (e.g., chemical vapor deposited parylene or solution processed polyimide). Due to their extremely thin shape and mechanical fragility, these devices are fabricated on carrier substrates and may delaminate at the completion of the device fabrication process. The presence of surface defects and thickness variations on prefabricated ultrathin substrates, as well as the challenges associated with handling such ultrathin substrates prior to lamination onto a carrier, have made the use of in situ deposited substrates more common.

[0051] By using additional encapsulation layers on top of the finished device, the overall geometry serves to allow the functional components of the device to lie in the neutral plane, limiting mechanical stress damage to the device upon bending. Furthermore, lamination of the device onto a pre-stretched elastomer allows for the formation of buckled structures that thereafter exhibit excellent elasticity under mechanical bending and compression testing. In addition to PV, a large number of electronic and optoelectronic devices prepared in a similar manner have also been reported.

[0052] The present system and method utilizes solution coated polyimide followed by imidization reaction at 270°C for two hours in a nitrogen (N2) atmosphere. However, this technique may not be easily scalable because the releasable substrate may be made on a rigid, fragile, difficult to scale support (e.g., glass). This technique may also be problematic because the solution coated substrate may need to be heated at high temperature (e.g., 270°C) for a long time in a nitrogen atmosphere environment to form the substrate. Another disadvantage of this technique is that polyimide is a relatively expensive material to use.

[0053] Another method is to use a hybrid (vacuum and wet) coating / printing process. Systems and methods for using this method are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023 / 0104867 (U.S. Application No. 17 / 938,180), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The method can utilize polyparaxylene (e.g., polyparaxylene-C) as a releasable substrate. However, the deposition of polyparaxylene is performed by a vacuum process using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The process may be slow and non-scalable. For example, due to the heating and cooling of the furnace system used in the process, the polyparaxylene deposition process may take several hours. Polyparaxylene deposition also requires high temperature. As a result, if a vacuum CVD process is required as part of the process, a scalable roll-to-roll process for manufacturing ultra-thin electronic devices may not be possible. The use of a vacuum CVD process to deposit polyparaxylene has not yet been demonstrated in a scalable roll-to-roll production process.

[0054] Embodiments of the present invention encompass systems, methods and devices that can solve problems associated with conventional techniques for manufacturing ultrathin transferable substrates. More specifically and without limitation, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for manufacturing transferable ultrathin substrates in a fast and scalable manner. Embodiments of the present disclosure may employ solution-based processing to replace the vacuum CVD deposition process of polyparaxylene, thereby achieving a faster and more scalable process for producing a releasable substrate. The exemplary systems and methods disclosed herein may receive a release liner carrier, form a releasable substrate on the release liner carrier, and coat, print and / or pattern one or more functional layers on top of the releasable substrate. For example, the release liner carrier may be received by a manufacturing system. The system may apply a solution to the release liner carrier, thereby producing a releasable substrate. For example, the solution may include a soluble polymer resin (e.g., polyester) formulation that leaves a releasable substrate formed of the resin after drying. Then, the system may apply one or more functional layers of coating, printing and / or patterning to produce a device on the releasable substrate. One or more functional layers may be formed using a solution-based process (e.g., by coating, printing, and / or patterning the additional layers). Thus, the releasable substrate and the device may be formed using only solution-based processes, resulting in a manufacturing process that is faster and more scalable and more practical for production on roll-to-roll production lines.

[0055] In some embodiments, the device can be an electronic device, such as a PV device. In some embodiments, the releasable substrate and the device can be manufactured on a roll-to-roll manufacturing system. In other embodiments, the releasable substrate and / or portions of the device can be manufactured on different systems. In some embodiments, the manufacturing system can change the solution used to form the releasable substrate to produce the desired properties of the releasable substrate (e.g., ultraviolet (UV) light filtering properties). In some embodiments, the releasable substrate can be attached to the device, but can be removed from the release liner carrier so that the user can remove (e.g., peel off) the release liner carrier from the releasable substrate and apply the releasable substrate and the electronic device to an additional substrate (e.g., similar to a sticker). In some embodiments, after the release liner carrier has been removed from the releasable substrate, the release liner carrier can be used again to form another device.

[0056] Figure 1 An exemplary method 100 consistent with an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The exemplary method 100 may be performed by one or more manufacturing systems (see, e.g., Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9H ) in one or more machines (see, e.g. Figure 8). In some embodiments, method 100 may be performed on a single roll-to-roll manufacturing system. In other embodiments, some or all of method 100 may be performed by one manufacturing system, while one or more additional portions of method 100 may be performed by another manufacturing system.

[0057] At 110, a release liner carrier can be received (see, e.g. Figure 2A , Figure 2B , Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9C-9E , Figure 9G , Figure 9H , Fig.10 ). For example, a release carrier liner can be received by the system (see, e.g. Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9H ), the system includes one or more machines for fabricating devices on ultrathin transferable substrates (see, e.g. Figure 8 ). The release liner carrier can be made of a flexible material. The release liner carrier can be composed of one or more materials selected based on the following properties: chemical compatibility with resins dissolved in organic solvents, compatibility with scalable manufacturing processes (e.g., roll-to-roll compatibility), surface energy, composite strength, flexibility, temperature stability, specification changes, cost, transparency, adhesion, releasability, uniformity, appearance and / or smoothness. In some embodiments, the release liner carrier may include polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (e.g., polyester). The release liner carrier may also include a coating that may serve as a release agent for subsequently removing (e.g., peeling off) the release liner carrier from another substrate. In some embodiments, the coating may be a silicone coating. For example, a silicone-coated PET substrate, such as Saint Gobain 8799B, that acts as a medical liner may be used. Alternatively, the release liner carrier may include a fluorinated material or a fluorosilicone material. In some embodiments, the release liner carrier received by the system may already include a coating (e.g., a silicone coating). For example, this type of release liner carrier can be sourced from companies such as Saint-Gobain or Mitsubishi Plastics. In other embodiments, the release liner carrier can be received by the system, and the system can add a coating (e.g., a silicone coating) to the release liner carrier. For example, the release liner carrier can be applied by slot-die coating (see, e.g., Figure 8 slot die coater 805), blade coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Knife coating (see, e.g., Figure 8Blade coater 815 in), flexo coating (flexo coating) (see, e.g. Figure 8 flexographic coating machine 830 in), gravure coating (see, for example Figure 8 gravure coater 835), spin coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Spin coater 825) or spray coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 A spray coater 840 in the spray coater 840 adds the coating to the release liner carrier.

[0058] As will be discussed further below, a coating of a release liner carrier can be provided to facilitate clean delamination of the release liner carrier with the releasable substrate and device to be formed on the release liner carrier. In some embodiments, the coating can be made of a transparent, thermally stable, mechanically stable and / or chemically resistant material. The coating can have a thickness below 50nm. In some embodiments, the thickness uniformity of the coating can allow the releasable substrate and the device formed on the releasable substrate to be cleanly delaminated with the release liner carrier. The thickness uniformity of the coating can also allow one or more functional layers of the device to be formed on the top of the releasable substrate. As used herein, the phrase "cleanly delaminated" can refer to delamination that does not apply stress to the device formed on the releasable substrate in a manner that damages the device. In other words, the phrase "cleanly delaminated" can refer to any delamination that separates the device and the releasable substrate from the release liner carrier without being damaged. For using the device in many commercial and industrial applications, the ability to safely remove the device from the release liner carrier may be important.

[0059] In some embodiments, the release liner carrier can be received by the system in an arrangement such that when the device is manufactured by the system, the release liner carrier will provide structural support to the device. In some embodiments, the device can be an electronic device. In some embodiments, the device is a PV electronic device (see, e.g., Figure 9A-9J , Fig.10 , Fig.11A , Fig. 11B ), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Other exemplary electronic devices that may be formed by the system include, for example, radio frequency (RF) circuits, integrated circuits, near field communication (NFC) or radio frequency identification (RFID) devices, antennas, transistors, sensors, or any other electronic device that may be printed on an ultra-thin substrate.

[0060] A releasable substrate may be formed on a release liner carrier at 120. The releasable substrate may be formed of any material having sufficient flexibility and strength to allow the releasable substrate and devices formed thereon to be peeled (or otherwise delaminated) from the release linear carrier.

[0061] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023 / 0104867 (U.S. Application No. 17 / 938,180) discusses a method for forming a releasable substrate using polyparaxylene as a releasable substrate, and its disclosure is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. However, the deposition of polyparaxylene is performed by a vacuum process using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which may result in a slow and non-scalable process. For example, a vacuum CVD process is a slow process that may take several hours. A vacuum CVD process may also require high temperatures. In addition, the use of a vacuum CVD process in forming an ultra-thin transferable substrate may require moving production between different types of machines (e.g., between a machine capable of performing a vacuum CVD process and other machines capable of performing a solution-based (i.e., wet) coating / printing process). As a result, if a vacuum CVD process is required as part of the process, a scalable roll-to-roll process for manufacturing ultra-thin electronic devices may not be possible. The use of a vacuum CVD process to deposit polyparaxylene has also not been demonstrated in a scalable roll-to-roll production process.

[0062] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide solutions to problems associated with the process described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023 / 0104867. For example, at 120, a manufacturing system (see, e.g., Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9H ) in one or more machines (see, e.g. Figure 8 ) can apply solution to release liner carrier to form releasable substrate on release liner carrier.Releasable substrate can be formed by any material, and this material can be produced by applying solution to release liner carrier, and has enough flexibility and strength to allow releasable substrate and the device formed on releasable substrate to be peeled off (or otherwise layered) from release carrier liner.Solution can be the composition of one or more solutes in solvent.For example, solution can include soluble resin in organic solvent, for example polyester.Alternatively, solution can be the solution including resin such as polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or epoxy resin, and can be used to produce releasable substrate formed by PVDC, PVDF or epoxy resin respectively.

[0063] In some embodiments, the solution can be composed of a resin, such as a solvent-based resin SKYBONE S-100, SKYBONE S-120 from SK Chemicals, or other resin solutions having substantially the same or similar properties dissolved in an organic solvent. The organic solvent can be, for example, 2-pentanone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl propyl ketone, etc. The resin can be dissolved in the solvent in a range of about 10 to about 20% weight / weight ratio (resin / solvent). The solution can be prepared at room temperature or up to about 60° C. to increase the dissolution rate. Once formulated, the solution can have an extended shelf life and can be applied immediately or after several months.

[0064] The solution can be applied using large area coating techniques such as slot die coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Slot die coater 805 in), blade coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Blade coater 810 in ), blade coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Blade coater 815 in), spin coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Spin coater 825 in), flexographic coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 flexographic coating machine 830 in ), gravure coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Gravure coater 835 in), spray coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 840), or screen printing, for example, can be used (see, e.g. Figure 8 Screen printer 845) or inkjet printing (see, e.g. Figure 8 The solution can then be dried on the release liner carrier so that the solvent dissipates, leaving a releasable substrate formed of a solute (e.g., a resin such as a polyester). In some embodiments, the releasable substrate can be dried in an oven and processed under atmospheric conditions. For example, the releasable substrate can be dried in an oven at 100° C. for 2-5 minutes. In some embodiments, the thickness of the releasable substrate can be less than 1 micron. In some embodiments, the properties of the releasable substrate (e.g., its thickness) can be varied by changing the concentration of the resin in the solution, the flow rate of the solution from the coating or printing machine, and / or the speed at which the release liner carrier moves through a manufacturing system (e.g., a roll-to-roll manufacturing system).

[0065] The resulting releasable substrate can be smooth enough to fabricate a device (e.g., an electronic device) thereon. Figure 2A is an exemplary atomic force micrograph of a release liner support showing a root mean square roughness of 0.87 nm, and Figure 2Bis an atomic force micrograph of an exemplary release liner support, wherein a resin film releasable substrate is coated on the surface of the release liner support, showing a root mean square roughness of 0.63 nm.

[0066] As will be discussed further herein, the remaining steps for forming the device on the releasable substrate can similarly be performed using a solution-based (i.e., wet) method. Thus, rather than using a vacuum CVD process to form a parylene releasable substrate, instead using a solution-based (i.e., wet) method to form a releasable substrate (e.g., a resin such as polyester) can provide a faster and more scalable process for manufacturing ultra-thin substrates.

[0067] At 130, one or more functional layers of the device may be formed on a releasable substrate (see, e.g. Figure 9C-9E , Fig.10 For example, a manufacturing system for manufacturing a device (e.g., an electronic device) (see, e.g., Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9H ) of one or more machines (see, e.g. Figure 8 ) can form one or more functional layers of the device. In some embodiments, the functional layer can be formed by applying a solution to a releasable substrate or another functional layer that has been formed. The functional layer can be formed of any material that can be produced by applying a solution to a releasable substrate or another functional layer that has been formed. The solution can be a composition of one or more solutes in a solvent. The solution can be sprayed or applied using a large area coating technique, such as slot die coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Slot die coater 805 in), blade coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Blade coater 810 in ), blade coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Blade coater 815 in), spin coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Spin coater 825 in), flexographic coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 flexographic coating machine 830 in ), gravure coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Gravure coater 835 in) or spray coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 The solution may then be dried so that the solvent dissipates, leaving behind a functional layer formed by the solute.

[0068] In some embodiments, the functional layer can be formed by patterning a layer on a releasable substrate or on another functional layer that has been formed. For example, the material can be screen printed on a release substrate or on another functional layer (see, e.g. Figure 8 Screen printer 845), inkjet printing (see, e.g. Figure 8Inkjet printer 850) or laser printing (see, e.g. Figure 8 In some embodiments, the laser printer (see, for example, Figure 8 The laser printer 855 in the device can be used to form a functional layer by forming lines in an existing functional layer of the device.

[0069] 130 may be repeated until a device has been formed. That is, 130 may be repeated such that a plurality of functional layers are formed in a stacked structure until a device (eg, an electronic device) has been formed on the releasable substrate. Figure 9A-9J An example forming one type of device (a PV device) is explained in further detail.

[0070] In some embodiments, a manufacturing system (see, e.g., Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9H ) of a single machine (see, e.g. Figure 8 One of the machines provided in ) can form multiple functional layers for a single electronic device, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. A single machine can also form only a single functional layer of an electronic device. Any number or combination of machines (see, for example, Figure 8 The exemplary machines provided in, each configured to coat / pattern a certain type and number of functional layers) can also be used in combination to form a device. For example, a roll-to-roll manufacturing system (see, e.g. Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9H ) so that the release liner carrier is rolled up, and when the release liner carrier is rolled up, different machines form stacked releasable substrates and functional layers until the electronic device to be produced is finally fully formed.

[0071] In some embodiments, method 100 may use one or more computing systems (see, e.g., Fig.12 , Fig.13 The computing system 1210 in the computing environment (see, e.g. Fig.12 For example, one or more computing systems 1210 (see, e.g., Fig.12 , Fig.13 ) can be connected to one or more machines (see, e.g. Figure 8 ) and / or systems (see, e.g., Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9H The computing system(s) 1210 may be configured to control the machine(s) and / or system(s) 1230 to implement Figure 1110, 120, and 130 in. For example, the computing system(s) 1210 can control the machine(s) and / or system(s) 1230 to receive the release liner carrier (110) (e.g., by moving the rollers of the manufacturing system). The computer(s) 1210 can control the machine(s) 1230 to form the releasable substrate(s) 120 by instructing the machine(s) 1230 to apply a solution to the release liner carrier. For example, the computing system(s) 1210 can control the machine(s) 1230 to apply and / or pattern one or more functional layers (130) by instructing the machine(s) 1230 to apply one or more solutions to the releasable substrate or the already formed functional layer, or by instructing the machine(s) 1230 to use a laser to pattern the already formed functional layer.

[0072] Figure 3 An exemplary method 300 consistent with an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The exemplary method 300 may be performed by a manufacturing system (e.g., see Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9H ) in one or more machines (e.g., Figure 8 In some embodiments, the method 300 may be performed by one or more machines in a roll-to-roll manufacturing system.

[0073] Method 300 may be used as method 100 (see, e.g. Figure 1 ). In some embodiments, method 300 may be performed as part of 120 to form a releasable substrate having certain desired properties. In 310, the desired properties of the releasable substrate are identified. The properties may be, for example, thickness properties, ultraviolet (UV) light filtering properties, moisture resistance properties, anti-reflection properties, scratch resistance properties, or any other type of properties that can be added or modified by changing the composition of the solution to be applied to form the releasable substrate.

[0074] In 320, a solution may be selected based on the identified characteristics. For example, an appropriate solution may be selected to form a releasable substrate having the identified characteristics. In some embodiments, a solution may be selected by changing the composition of the solution to be applied. For example, a solution having a concentration of one or more solutes in a solvent may be produced based on the identified characteristics. Alternatively, an existing solution may be changed to one or more solutes in a solvent having a concentration based on the identified characteristics. In some embodiments, a plurality of different solutions may have been prepared in advance to produce releasable substrates of different characteristics, and 320 may involve selecting one of these solutions based on the identified characteristics.

[0075] At 330, the selected solution may be applied to form a releasable substrate having the identified properties. For example, the selected solution may be sprayed or applied using a large area coating technique such as slot die coating (see, e.g., Figure 8 Slot die coater 805 in), blade coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Blade coater 810 in ), blade coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Blade coater 815 in), spin coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Spin coater 825 in), flexographic coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 flexographic coating machine 830 in ), gravure coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Gravure coater 835 in), spray coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 The solution may then be dried such that the solvent dissipates, leaving a releasable substrate formed by the solute and having defined and desired properties.

[0076] As an example, the UV light filtering capability of the release substrate can be adjusted by varying the concentration of a UV absorbing dye in the solution used to form the release substrate. The UV absorbing dye can be, for example, 3050, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0077] In some embodiments, method 300 may use one or more computing systems (see Fig.12 , Fig.13 The computing system 1210 in the computing environment (see, e.g. Fig.12 For example, one or more computing systems 1210 (see, e.g., Fig.12 , Fig.13 ) can be connected to one or more machines (see, e.g. Figure 8 ) and / or systems (see, e.g., Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9H (a) and (b) are connected to the exemplary system 1230. (c) The computer 1210 may be configured to control (a) machine and / or (b) system 1230 to implement Figure 3310, 320, and 330 in . For example, the computing system(s) 1210 may control the machine(s) and / or system(s) 1230 to identify a characteristic of the releasable substrate (310) (e.g., by receiving user input or otherwise receiving instructions about the characteristic). The computing system(s) 1210 may then select a solution (320) to be applied based on the identified characteristic. For example, the computing system(s) 1210 may store in a memory a list of solutions that may be applied to generate a substrate having certain characteristics, and may use, for example, a lookup table to select one of the solutions. Alternatively, the computing system(s) 1210 may instruct the machine(s) and / or system(s) 1230 to select a solution based on the identified characteristic. The computing system(s) 1210 may then apply the selected solution to form a releasable substrate (330) having the identified characteristic. For example, computing system(s) 1210 may control machine(s) and / or system(s) 1230 to coat and / or pattern one or more functional layers by instructing machine(s) 1230 to apply one or more solutions to a releasable substrate or an already formed functional layer, or by instructing machine(s) 1230 to pattern an already formed functional layer using, for example, a laser.

[0078] Figure 4 is a graph showing the light transmittance properties of an exemplary releasable substrate formed on a PET (e.g., polyester) carrier with different concentrations of UV absorbing dyes. The y-axis of the graph represents the transmittance percentage of light, and the x-axis of the graph represents different wavelengths of light. Light with a wavelength of 100-400 nm is generally considered UV light. Figure 4 The curves 400-412 in the graph of FIG. 4 show the percentage of light that can be transmitted through the releasable substrate at different wavelengths of light based on the different concentrations of the UV absorbing dye added to the solution used to form the releasable substrate. For example, curve 404 shows the percentage of transmittance at different wavelengths of light for a concentration of 0.5% (by weight) of the UV absorbing dye, while curve 410 shows the percentage of transmittance at different wavelengths of light for a concentration of 4% (by weight) of the UV absorbing dye. Figure 4 It can be seen that greater concentrations of the UV absorbing dye in solution can produce a releasable substrate that filters a greater amount of UV light (ie, there is a relationship between the percent concentration of the UV absorbing dye in solution and the amount of UV light absorbed).

[0079] As another example, the thickness of the releasable substrate can be adjusted by changing the concentration of the solute in the solvent of the solution to be applied to form the releasable substrate. For example, if a greater thickness is required, the concentration of the resin (e.g., polyester) in the organic solvent can be increased, or if a smaller thickness is required, the concentration can be reduced.

[0080] As yet another example, the water vapor / oxygen barrier properties of the releasable substrate can be adjusted by adding, for example, a silicon nitride layer. Generally speaking, the thicker the silicon nitride barrier, the greater the water vapor / oxygen barrier capability of the releasable substrate, but forming too thick a silicon nitride layer may result in cracking and reduce the water vapor / oxygen barrier capability of the substrate.

[0081] In some embodiments, a plurality of characteristics may be identified at 310, and one or more solutions may be selected based on the plurality of characteristics at 320. At 330, the selected solution(s) may then be applied to form a releasable substrate having the plurality of characteristics.

[0082] In some embodiments, method 300 may be repeated to form a releasable substrate having multiple properties. For example, the process may be performed first to form a releasable substrate having a UV filtering property, and then another layer of a releasable substrate having a moisture barrier property may be formed.

[0083] Figure 5 An exemplary system 500 for performing method 100, method 300, method 600, and / or method 950 is shown. System 500 is an exemplary roll-to-roll manufacturing system. Release liner carrier 522 can be received by the system (e.g., corresponding to 110 of method 100 and / or 952 of method 950). At 504, one or more machines (see, e.g., Figure 8) can form a releasable substrate on a release liner carrier 522 (e.g., corresponding to 120 of method 100 and / or 954 of method 950). As previously discussed, one or more machines can also perform method 300 to form a releasable substrate having certain properties. At 507a, one or more functional layers can be coated and / or patterned onto the releasable substrate (e.g., corresponding to 130 of method 100 and / or 956 of method 950). This can be repeated any number of times required to form all functional layers of the device (see, e.g., examples 507b...507n of method 950, collectively referred to as 506, and / or 956-970 of method 950). At 518, the release liner carrier 522 can be removed from the releasable substrate and electronic device 523 (e.g., corresponding to 610 of method 600). The release liner carrier 522 can now be reused to form another electronic device (e.g., corresponding to 630 of method 600). At 520, the releasable substrate and electronic device 523 can be attached to the permanent substrate 521 (e.g., corresponding to 620 of method 600). The releasable substrate and electronic device 523 can be attached to the permanent substrate by laminating it to the permanent substrate, gluing it to the permanent substrate, or any other known technique for attaching two substrates. Lamination can include, for example, laminating using a bag laminator using a UV curing adhesive (e.g., DELO LP655). The permanent substrate can be any substrate capable of being attached to the releasable substrate and electronic device 523, and can include (for example) fabric, plastic, metal, wood, ceramic, glass, stone, or a composite material. In some embodiments, the permanent substrate can be a polymer fabric, such as a thermoplastic polyethylene (e.g., high modulus polyethylene), such as an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), such as sold by Avant Corporation and sold under the trade name A composite fabric is provided. The fabric can provide significant mechanical support for electronic devices and releasable substrates without adding much weight to the overall system.

[0084] Those skilled in the art will recognize that although Figure 5 The manufacturing process is shown to occur on a single roll-to-roll manufacturing system, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Any portion of the manufacturing process may be performed by one or more machines on a system (see, e.g., Figure 8 ), and any number of one or more portions of the manufacturing process may be performed by one or more machines on another system (see, e.g. Figure 8The present disclosure is also not limited to roll-to-roll manufacturing systems. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that certain known batch manufacturing systems may be used in place of a roll-to-roll manufacturing system. Furthermore, some portions of manufacturing may be performed manually, while other portions may be performed by one or more machines (see, e.g., Figure 8 For example, Figure 5 518 and 520 in the figure can be performed manually. That is, once the completed electronic device is formed on the releasable substrate and the release liner carrier, at 518, the personnel can remove (e.g., peel off) the release liner carrier 522 from the releasable substrate and the electronic device 523, and then at 520, the personnel can attach the releasable substrate and the electronic device 523 to the permanent substrate 521 (e.g., similar to a sticker).

[0085] Figure 6 An exemplary method 600 for using a completed electronic device on a transferable ultra-thin substrate is shown. Method 600 may be performed, for example, after the completed electronic device has been formed on a releasable substrate and a release liner carrier (e.g., after method 100 is completed and / or after the completion of the method 100). Figure 5 , Figure 7 or Figure 9H ) is performed after the processing in is completed. In 610, the release liner carrier can be removed from the releasable substrate. As previously discussed, the electronic device may have been attached to the releasable substrate, so removing the release liner carrier from the releasable substrate may also remove the release liner carrier from the electronic device. Removing the release liner carrier from the releasable substrate may involve peeling the releasable substrate from the release liner carrier (e.g., similar to removing a sticker from its backing paper). A coating on the release liner carrier (e.g., a silicone coating) can allow the releasable substrate and the electronic device to be removed from the release liner carrier without applying excessive stress or otherwise damaging the releasable substrate or the electronic device.

[0086] At 620, the releasable substrate and the device may be attached to the permanent substrate. As previously discussed, the electronic device may have been formed on the releasable substrate such that attaching the releasable substrate to the permanent substrate also causes the electronic device to be attached to the permanent substrate. As previously discussed, the attachment to the permanent substrate may be performed using lamination, gluing, or any other method of attaching two substrates. The permanent substrate may be any substrate capable of being attached to the releasable substrate and the electronic device, and may include, for example, fabric, plastic, metal, wood, ceramic, glass, stone, or a composite material. In some embodiments, the permanent substrate may be an engineered polymer, such as UHMWPE (e.g., as The composite fabric sold as a fabric). Electronic devices can then be operated on the permanent substrate. For example, a PV device can be operated on the permanent substrate to generate electricity by using solar cells. For example, this electricity can then be used to power a device or recharge a battery.

[0087] At 630, the release liner carrier can be reused. That is, once the release liner carrier has been removed from the releasable substrate and the electronic device, the release liner carrier can be received again by a manufacturing system for manufacturing another electronic device. Reusing the same release liner carrier can make production less expensive and / or more sustainable (e.g., less harmful to the environment). In some embodiments, the same release liner carrier can be reused several times to produce several electronic devices.

[0088] although Figure 6 610 is shown to occur before 620, but the invention is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the releasable substrate and the device may be applied to the permanent substrate (620) before the release liner carrier is removed from the releasable substrate. For example, the top functional layer of the electronic device may be applied to the permanent substrate (e.g., adhered to the permanent substrate by lamination) and then the release liner carrier may be removed from the releasable substrate. In some embodiments, 610 and 620 may occur simultaneously. For example, the top functional layer of the electronic device may be applied to the permanent substrate (e.g., by lamination) while the release liner carrier is removed from the releasable substrate.

[0089] In some embodiments, one or more portions of method 600 may be performed by one or more systems. Figure 5 5 shows an exemplary system that performs 610 (e.g., removing release liner carrier 522 at 518) and 620 (e.g., applying releasable substrate and electronic device 523 to permanent substrate 521 at 520). In some embodiments, one or more portions of method 600 can be performed manually by one or more persons. For example, a person can remove (e.g., peel off) a release liner carrier from a releasable substrate and electronic device, and then apply the releasable substrate and electronic device to a permanent substrate of their choice.

[0090] In some embodiments, method 600 may use one or more computing systems (see Fig.12 , Fig.13 The computing system 1210 in the computing environment (see, e.g. Fig.12 For example, one or more computing systems 1210 (see, e.g., Fig.12 , Fig.13 ) can be connected to one or more machines (see, e.g. Figure 8) and / or systems (see, e.g., Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9H The computing system(s) 1210 may be configured to control the machine(s) and / or system(s) 1230 to implement Figure 6 For example, computing system(s) 1210 may control machine(s) and / or system(s) 1230 to remove release liner carrier (610) from releasable substrate, such as by instructing a delaminating machine (see, e.g., Figure 8 ) removes the release liner carrier from the releasable substrate. Computing system(s) 1210 may control machine(s) and / or system(s) 1230 to apply the releasable substrate and device to the permanent substrate (620), such as by instructing a laminator (see, e.g., Figure 8 ) adhere the releasable substrate and device to the permanent substrate. Computing system(s) 1210 can control machine(s) and / or system(s) 1230 to reuse the release liner carrier, for example by instructing system(s) 1230 to move a roller to receive the release liner carrier for reuse.

[0091] Figure 7 An exemplary system 700 for performing method 100, method 300, method 600, and / or method 950 is shown. System 700 is an exemplary roll-to-roll manufacturing system. A release liner carrier 722 can be received by the system (e.g., corresponding to 110 of method 100 and / or 952 of method 950). At 704, one or more machines (see, e.g., Figure 8 , exemplified machines in ) can form a releasable substrate on a release liner carrier 722 (e.g., corresponding to 120 of method 100 and / or 954 of method 950). As previously discussed, one or more machines can also perform method 300 to form a releasable substrate having certain properties. At 707a, one or more functional layers can be coated and / or patterned onto the releasable substrate (e.g., corresponding to 130 of method 100 and / or 956 of method 950). This can be repeated any number of times required to form multiple layers of the device (see, e.g., examples 707b...707k, collectively referred to as 706, and / or 956-970 of method 950). At 718, the release liner carrier 722 can be removed from the releasable substrate and electronic device 723 (e.g., corresponding to 610 of method 600). The release liner carrier 722 can now be reused to form another electronic device (e.g., corresponding to 630 of method 600).

[0092] At 7071, one or more additional functional layers may be added. Note that in contrast to system 500, here in system 700, the additional layer(s) added at 7071 may be added to a structure that already includes a releasable substrate and a functional layer formed on the releasable substrate, but no longer includes a release liner carrier. This may be repeated any number of times as necessary to form multiple layers of the device (see, e.g., examples 7071...707k, and / or 956-970 of method 950). At 720, the releasable substrate and electronic device may be attached to a permanent substrate 721 (e.g., corresponding to 620 of method 600). The permanent substrate may be any substrate capable of being attached to the releasable substrate and electronic device 723, and may include, for example, fabric, plastic, metal, wood, ceramic, glass, stone, or a composite material. In some embodiments, the permanent substrate may be an engineered polymer, such as UHMWPE (e.g., as Composite fabrics sold by fabric).

[0093] That is to say, Figure 5 Compared with the system 500 in Figure 7 The system 700 in can form one or more functional layers on a releasable substrate while the releasable substrate is attached to a release liner carrier, and form additional functional layers on the already formed functional layers after the release liner carrier has been removed. Figure 7 A system 700 for performing all parts of manufacturing is shown, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, 704-707k may be comprised of one or more machines (see, e.g., Figure 8 exemplarily machine in ), and 7071-707n may be performed by a system including one or more machines (see, for example, Figure 8 The present disclosure is also not limited to roll-to-roll manufacturing systems. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that certain known batch manufacturing systems may be used in place of a roll-to-roll manufacturing system. In addition, some portions of manufacturing may be performed manually, while other portions may be performed by one or more machines. For example, Figure 7 718 and 720 in the figure can be performed manually. That is, once one or more functional layers have been formed on the releasable substrate and the release liner carrier, at 718, personnel can remove (e.g., peel off) the release liner carrier 722 from the releasable substrate and the electronic device 723. Then, at 720, when the entire electronic device has been formed, personnel can attach the releasable substrate and the electronic device 723 to a permanent substrate 721 (e.g., similar to a sticker).

[0094] It will be appreciated that it may be advantageous to form additional functional layers on the already formed functional layer and releasable substrate after the release liner carrier has been removed. For example, where multiple systems and / or manufacturers are involved, the first system / manufacturer may reuse the release liner carrier while the additional system / manufacturer adds more functional layers. In this way, the additional system / manufacturer will not need to transport the release liner carrier back to the first system / manufacturer for reuse. It will also be appreciated that with Figure 5 This method may have disadvantages compared to the method of system 500 in . For example, the release liner carrier may provide important structural support when forming the functional layers of the electronic device, and without this support, the releasable substrate and / or the functional layers of the stack may be more susceptible to breaking during manufacturing. In addition, the completed electronic device and the releasable substrate without its release liner carrier may be fragile, making it difficult to transport for application to a permanent substrate. For example, in addition to providing important structural support when manufacturing the electronic device, the release liner carrier can also provide important structural support when transporting the electronic device and the releasable substrate.

[0095] Figure 8 Provides a method that can be used by the system (see, e.g. Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9H ) are exemplary types of machines used in the production of electronic devices. For example, Figure 8 Examples of machines are provided including slot die coater 805, knife coater 810, blade coater 815, spin coater 825, flexographic coater 830, gravure coater 835, and spray coater 840. These machines can be used to apply solutions from a releasable substrate and / or one or more functional layers of an electronic device. Figure 8 Examples of machines including screen printer 845, inkjet printer 850, and laser printer 855 are also provided. These machines can be used to print solutions to form a releasable substrate and / or more functional layers of an electronic device. Laser printer 855 can also be used to etch existing functional layers of an electronic device, for example to form scribe lines in the functional layer. Figure 8 Also provided is an exemplary laminator / delaminating machine 820 that can be used to peel or otherwise delaminate a release liner carrier from a releasable substrate, and to laminate the releasable substrate and the electronic device to a permanent substrate. Alternatively, separate delaminating and laminating devices can be used. Although Figure 8855, and any machine capable of stripping and / or adhering a device to a permanent substrate can be used in place of the laminator / delayer 820.

[0096] Additional details will now be provided regarding an exemplary type of device (PV device) that may be manufactured consistent with the embodiments presented herein.

[0097] Fig. 9A An exemplary flexible PV device 900 according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. As shown, the PV device 900 may include a plurality of cells 902 separated by interconnection regions 904. In addition, the PV device 900 may include terminals 921 and 923 configured to connect the PV device 900 to an external circuit. Each of the cells 902 may have a width W1 and a length L, and each of the interconnection regions 904 may have a width W2. In one exemplary embodiment, W1=10 mm, L=15 mm, and W2=3 mm. However, the concepts and structures are not limited to any particular size of the cells 902 or the interconnection regions 904. Although in this example, the PV device 900 includes twenty-five (25) cells, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to PV devices 900 including any particular number of cells. In some applications, the PV device 900 may include more than 25 cells, while in other applications, the PV device 900 may include less than 25 cells. After reading the disclosure provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand how to select the number of cells to include for any particular application.

[0098] In some aspects, PV device 900 can be divided into strips 905 and modules 907. Fig. 9A In the example of FIG. 9 , the strip 905 includes a column of cells 902 and an interconnect region 904 directly adjacent to the column. Fig. 9A In the example of , module 907 includes a row of cells 902. As described above, each strip 905 may be 10 mm wide, with 3 mm used for serial interconnection. Fig. 9A In the example shown in FIG. 1 , each module 907 includes 5 batteries connected in series, each battery having a size of 1.5 cm 2 , making the active area of ​​each module 7.5cm 2 . Fig.9D A cross-sectional side view of module 907 is provided in , which shows the interconnectivity between the individual cells 902.

[0099] In an embodiment, the PV device 900 may be manufactured in relatively large sheets (e.g., sheets having dimensions in the range of about 100 square meters to about 1000 square meters, such as 1×100 meters). After manufacture, such a sheet may then be rolled up before it is shipped to a customer or stored. As discussed further below, the PV device 900 may be formed on a flexible release liner carrier. After the PV device 900 is manufactured, the carrier may be peeled off (or otherwise layered with the PV device 900) and the PV device 900 may be laminated onto a permanent substrate. The permanent substrate may be a sheet of flexible material (e.g., fabric), or alternatively, the permanent substrate may be a panel of rigid or semi-rigid material. For example, in some embodiments, the PV device 900 may be laminated onto the roof of a tent and used to provide electricity to people within the tent. In another example, the PV device 900 may be laminated onto a plastic substrate and used to form a solar panel in this manner.

[0100] Furthermore, the PV device 900 is suitable for use in a manufacturing setting where the PV device 900 is printed and laminated in the same production line. This is made possible by the PV device 900 being flexible and fully capable of being rolled up. Figure 9H An example of an integrated production line for the manufacture and lamination of a PV device 900 is shown in FIG.

[0101] Fig. 9B is an image of an exemplary PV device 900. Fig. 9B To illustrate that PV device 900 can be flexible and thin. These characteristics make PV device 900 particularly suitable for installation on fabric in a roll-to-roll process (see, e.g. Figure 9H The suitability of PV device 900 for roll-to-roll processing may make PV device 900 less expensive to manufacture and use on a large scale than PV devices having similar electrical characteristics but being relatively rigid compared to the PV devices described herein.

[0102] Fig. 9C and Fig.9D A cross-sectional view of an exemplary PV device 900 according to aspects of the present invention is shown. Specifically, Fig. 9C is a cross-sectional side view of an exemplary single cell 902 of PV device 900 . Fig.9D is a cross-sectional side view of an exemplary entire module 907 of PV device 900 . Fig. 9C Examples of various material layers that may be stacked to form PV device 900 are shown in greater detail, while Fig.9D Exemplary insulating layers and printed conductive interconnects between different cells 902 of PV device 900 are shown in more detail.

[0103] As shown, PV device 900 may include release liner carrier 914 , releasable substrate 916 , transparent electrode layer 918 , electron transport layer 920 , photoactive layer 922 , hole transport layer 924 , and back contact electrode layer 926 .

[0104] The release liner carrier 914 is arranged to provide structural support to the PV device 900 when the PV device 900 is manufactured and before the PV device 900 is laminated to a permanent substrate. In some embodiments, the release liner carrier 912 can be a coated release liner carrier 914, such as a silicone coated release liner (such as from companies such as Saint-Gobain or Mitsubishi Plastics). For example, the release liner carrier 914 can be a silicone coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the use of any particular material to implement the release liner carrier 914.

[0105] In some embodiments, the release liner carrier 914 can have a root mean square (RMS) roughness of <5 nm. However, the present disclosure is not limited to any particular RMS roughness of the release liner carrier 914. In some embodiments, the release liner carrier 914 can have a thickness in the range of 500-700 gauge, however, the present disclosure is not limited to any particular thickness of the release liner carrier 914. Fig. 9C and 9D In the example of , the release liner carrier 914 is made of a flexible material. Alternative embodiments are possible in which the release liner carrier 914 is made of a rigid material. A coating on the release liner carrier 914 can be provided to facilitate clean delamination of the release liner carrier 914 from the releasable substrate and the rest of the PV device 900. The coating can be transparent, thermally stable, mechanically stable, or chemically resistant. In some embodiments, the coating can have a thickness of less than 50 nm. The thickness uniformity of the coating should be sufficient to allow clean delamination of the releasable substrate 916 (and subsequent layers) from the release liner carrier 914, as well as the formation of subsequent layers on the release liner carrier 914.

[0106] As used herein, the phrase "cleanly delaminates" may refer to delamination that does not stress the PV device 900 to the extent that the PV device 900 is damaged. In other words, the phrase "cleanly delaminates" may refer to any delamination that separates the PV device 900 from the release liner carrier 914 without being damaged. The ability to safely remove the PV device 900 from the release liner carrier 914 may be important for using the PV device 900 in many commercial and industrial applications. Depending on the context, as used throughout this disclosure, the term "PV device 900" may refer to a PV device 900 that is separated from the release liner carrier 914 without being damaged. Fig. 9C All layers in the stack structure shown in , or only layers 918 - 926 , or layers (or only layers 916 - 926 ).

[0107] The releasable substrate 916 can be formed on the release liner carrier 914. The releasable substrate 916 can be formed of any material having sufficient flexibility and strength to allow the releasable substrate 916 and layers 918-926 to be peeled (or otherwise delaminated) from the release liner carrier 914. In some embodiments, the releasable substrate 916 can be formed from a solution. For example, a solution of a resin, such as SKYBONE S-100, a solvent-based polyester resin from SK Chemicals, or other solutions having substantially the same or similar properties, can be dissolved in an organic solvent (e.g., 2-pentanone solvent) in a range of about 10 to about 20% weight / weight ratio (resin / solvent). The solution can be prepared at room temperature or up to about 60°C to increase the dissolution rate. Once formulated, the solution can have an extended shelf life and can be capable of being applied immediately or months later. The solution can then be applied by one of a variety of different coating or printing methods, such as slot die coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Slot die coater 805 in), blade coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Blade coater 810 in ), blade coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Blade coater 815 in), spin coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Spin coater 825 in), flexographic coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 flexographic coating machine 830 in ), gravure coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 Gravure coater 835 in) or spray coating (see, e.g. Figure 8 In some embodiments, the releasable substrate 916 may be 1-5 microns thick.

[0108] The transparent electrode layer 918 can be formed on the releasable substrate 916. In some embodiments, the transparent electrode layer 918 can be formed by using a printer such as a screen printer (see, for example, Figure 8 Screen printer 845), inkjet printer (see, e.g. Figure 8 Inkjet printer 850) or laser printer (see, e.g. Figure 8 Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the transparent electrode layer 918 can be coated using a coating machine (see, e.g., Figure 8The transparent electrode layer 918 is formed by coating with a slot die coater 805, a knife coater 810, a blade coater 815, a spin coater 825, a flexographic plate coater 830, a gravure coater 835 and / or a spray coater 840) and drying the coated sheet in an oven at 125° C. for 5 minutes. It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to any particular method for making the transparent electrode layer 918. Additionally or alternatively, in some specific embodiments, the transparent electrode layer 918 can be formed of a combination of PEDOT:PSS and silver nanowire ink.

[0109] After the transparent electrode layer 918 is dried, the resulting structure can be laser patterned (e.g., using an infrared laser (e.g., Xiaming Laser Company™, XM-20D)). Figure 8 Laser printer 855 in the embodiment of the present invention) to produce the scribe line 941 (such as Fig.9D Each of the scribe lines 941 may be covered with a coated insulator (eg, Creative Materials TM, 111-27) to form a pair of dielectric layers 942. Figure 8 The insulator is applied by any one or more of a slot die coater 805, a blade coater 810, a blade coater 815, a spin coater 825, a flexographic coater 830, a gravure coater 835, or a spray coater 840. The dielectric layer 942 can limit yield loss due to edge defects of laser scribing, and can also define the scribe lanes where subsequent layers (e.g., layers 920-924) will be coated. A corresponding conductive interconnect 943 can be formed between the dielectric layers 942 in each pair of dielectric layers 942. The conductive interconnect 943 can be formed of the same material as the back contact electrode layer 926. In some embodiments, both the back contact electrode layer 926 and the conductive interconnect 943 can be formed by printing silver ink on the structure produced after forming the hole transport layer 924. The silver ink can be used, for example, Figure 8 The printing is performed by one or more of the screen printer 845, inkjet printer 850 or laser printer 855. Fig.9D As shown, conductive interconnects may be used to form a series electrical connection between cells 902 in module 907 .

[0110] The electron transport layer 920 can be formed on the transparent electrode layer 918. In some embodiments, the electron transport layer 920 can be formed by using tin oxide and / or any other suitable type of material. Additionally or alternatively, in some specific embodiments, the electron transport layer 920 can be formed by coating tin oxide nanoparticles (e.g., Avantama, N-31) onto the transparent electrode layer 918 and drying the resulting structure in an oven at 120° C. for 3 minutes. It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to any particular method or material for forming the electron transport layer 920. Figure 8 Tin oxide and / or other suitable materials are coated and / or printed using one or more of the slot die coater 805, blade coater 810, blade coater 815, spin coater 825, flexographic coater 830, gravure coater 835, spray coater 840, screen printer 845, inkjet printer 850 or laser printer 855.

[0111] The photoactive layer 922 may be formed from a photoactive ink such as a blend of organic semiconductor compounds. The blend of organic semiconductor compounds may include a derivative of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (e.g., Raynerl-Tek TM , PV2000) and phenylbutyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). More specifically, the photoactive ink can be prepared by dissolving the blend PV2000:PCBM (14 mg / mL) in o-xylene and stirring overnight at 85°C. Thereafter, the photoactive ink can be applied to the electron transport layer 920 and dried in an oven at 120°C for 3 minutes. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to using any particular method or material to form the photoactive layer 922. Figure 8 The photoactive ink is applied and / or printed using one or more of a slot die coater 805, a blade coater 810, a blade coater 815, a spin coater 825, a flexographic coater 830, a gravure coater 835, a spray coater 840, a screen printer 845, an inkjet printer 850, or a laser printer 855.

[0112] The hole transport layer 924 may be formed on the photoactive layer 922. The hole transport layer 924 may be formed by applying poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) on the photoactive layer 922 and curing the resulting structure in an oven at 120° C. for 3 minutes. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to using any particular method or material to form the hole transport layer 924. It can be easily understood that in Fig. 9C In the stack shown, the positions of the hole transport layer 924 and the electron transport layer 920 may be interchangeable. Figure 8The material for forming the hole transport layer is coated and / or printed by one or more of the slot die coater 805, the blade coater 810, the blade coater 815, the spin coater 825, the flexographic coater 830, the gravure coater 835, the spray coater 840, the screen printer 845, the inkjet printer 850 or the laser printer 855.

[0113] The back contact electrode layer 926 can be formed by applying silver ink (Heraeus TM, SOL530B) on top of the hole transport layer 924 and curing the resulting structure in an oven at 120° C. for 3 minutes. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to using any particular method or material to form the back contact electrode layer 926. Figure 8 The silver ink is applied and / or printed by one or more of the slot die coater 805, blade coater 810, blade coater 815, spin coater 825, flexographic coater 830, gravure coater 835, spray coater 840, screen printer 845, inkjet printer 850 or laser printer 855.

[0114] supply Fig. 9C and Fig.9D 914 and 916 to illustrate an example of one possible semiconductor structure that may be formed on a stack including a release liner carrier 914 and a releasable substrate 916. In this regard, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to any particular type of semiconductor structure formed on a stack including a release liner carrier 914 and a releasable substrate 916. As described above, forming any semiconductor structure on a stack including a release liner carrier 914 and a releasable substrate 916 allows the semiconductor structure to be subsequently laminated on a flexible or rigid substrate.

[0115] Fig.9E is a schematic diagram of an example of a process for making and using a PV device 900 according to aspects of the present disclosure. Fig.9E The evolution of a single cell 902 of a PV device 900 at different process stages is shown, but it should be understood that the evolution of a single cell 902 of a PV device 900 at different process stages is shown. Fig.9E The described process is applicable to the entire PV device 900 .

[0116] At 972, a release liner carrier 914 is provided. At 973, a releasable substrate 916 is formed over the release liner carrier 914. At 974, a transparent electrode layer 918 is formed over the releasable substrate 916. At 975, a scribe line 941 (labeled P1) is formed in the electrode layer 918. At 976, a structure 989 is formed in the scribe line 941 and over the electrode layer 918. As described above with respect to Fig.9DAs discussed, structure 989 may include a pair of dielectric layers 942. At 977, an electron transport layer 920 is formed over transparent electrode layer 918. At 978, a photoactive layer 922 is formed over electron transport layer 920. At 979, a hole transport layer 924 is formed over photoactive layer 922. At 980, a back contact electrode layer 926 is formed over hole transport layer 924. At 981, PV device 900 is laminated to permanent substrate 992 using glue layer 991. Glue layer 991 may include pressure activated glue, light activated glue, heat activated glue, and / or any other suitable type of glue. At 982, release liner carrier 914 is peeled off (or otherwise delaminated) from PV device 900.

[0117] In some embodiments, 981 and 982 may be performed as follows. A tin-coated copper busbar (Adhesive Research, ARcare90038) may be electrically coupled to terminals 921 and 923 (eg, Fig. 9A and Fig.9D In this example, the receiving substrate of interest, which is an engineered polymer such as UHMWPE (e.g., as The entire assembly can be exposed to UV radiation (Amergraph Corporation™, V28 VMS) for 2 minutes and then placed on a hot plate set at 80°C for 2 hours. Once annealed, all four sides can be trimmed to create a break in the removable substrate 916 attached to the release liner carrier 914. Next, the PV device 900 can be delaminated from the release liner carrier 914 simply by lifting the edges and rolling them apart with a cylindrical pressure roller.

[0118] Fig.9F is an exemplary image of a PV device 900 laminated to a permanent substrate. In an embodiment, the permanent substrate may be an engineered polymer such as UHMWPE (e.g., as The engineered polymer and PV device 500 are passed through a laminator with sufficient UV activated adhesive distributed between the two. Fig.9F To illustrate a non-limiting example of application of PV device 900 in a laboratory or small-scale setting.

[0119] Figure 9GAn exemplary method 950 for forming an electronic device (e.g., PV device 900) on a transferable ultra-thin substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. At 952, a release liner carrier can be received. At 954, a releasable substrate can be formed over the release liner carrier. At 956, a transparent electrode layer can be formed over the releasable substrate. At 958, a scribe line can be formed in the electrode layer. At 960, a structure can be formed in the scribe line and over the electrode layer. As described above with respect to Fig.9D As discussed, structure 989 can include a pair of dielectric layers 942. At 962, an electron transport layer can be formed over the transparent electrode layer. At 964, a photoactive layer can be formed over the electron transport layer. At 966, a hole transport layer can be formed over the photoactive layer. At 968, a conductive interconnect can be formed between the pair of dielectric layers. At 970, a back contact electrode layer can be formed over the hole transport layer.

[0120] In some embodiments, method 950 may use one or more computing systems (see Fig.12 , Fig.13 The computing system 1210 in the computing environment (see, e.g. Fig.12 For example, one or more computing systems 1210 (see, e.g., Fig.12 , Fig.13 ) can be connected to one or more machines (see, e.g. Figure 8 ) and / or systems (see, e.g., Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9H The computing system(s) 1210 may be configured to control the machine(s) and / or system(s) 1230 to implement Figure 9G 952, 954, 956, 958, 960, 962, 964, 966, 968, and 970 in. For example, computing system(s) 1210 can control machine(s) and / or system(s) 1230 to receive a release liner carrier (952), form a releasable substrate (954), form a transparent electrode layer (956), form scribe lines (958), form a dielectric layer (960), form an electron transport layer (962), form a photoactive layer (964), form a hole transport layer (966), form a conductive interconnect (968), and / or form a back contact electrode layer (970).

[0121] Figure 9H is an exemplary system 901 for manufacturing and using a PV device 900 using a roll-to-roll production line. For example, the system 901 can be used to use Figure 9GThe method 950 of forming a releasable substrate and an electronic device. At 903, a release liner carrier can be received and fed through a production line. As described above, the release liner carrier can be a coated release liner carrier, such as a silicone coated release liner carrier. Silicone coated release liner carriers can be commercially available. Alternatively, the release liner carrier can be formed by coating a material (e.g., silicone) onto a PET carrier. At 906, one or more machines (see, e.g., Figure 8 The releasable substrate is formed on the release liner carrier by applying a solution to the release liner carrier and drying the solution, as described above. In some embodiments, the releasable substrate is a resin (e.g., polyester) substrate formed by applying a solution of a resin in an organic solvent and drying the solution. At 907, a transparent electrode layer is formed on the releasable substrate. As described above, the transparent electrode layer can be formed by coating or printing (e.g., using a silver nanowire ink) with a silver nanowire ink. Figure 8 At 908, the resulting structure can be laser patterned (e.g., using Figure 8 Laser printer 855 in the embodiment of the present invention) to form a scribe line (e.g., Fig.9D At 909, a dielectric layer may be formed (eg, using Figure 8 One or more exemplary machines in the invention), and electron transport layers, photoactive layers, and hole transport layers can be formed (e.g., using Figure 8 At 910, a conductive interconnect may be formed (eg, using Figure 8 One or more exemplary machines in the drawings), and a back contact electrode layer may be formed (e.g., using Figure 8 At 911, the release liner carrier can be layered with the PV device (e.g., using a layering machine). At step 912, the PV device can be laminated (e.g., using a bag laminator) to a permanent substrate. According to the present disclosure, the permanent substrate can include an engineered polymer, such as UHMWPE (e.g., as However, the present disclosure is not limited to any particular type of material used as a permanent substrate for the device. In some embodiments, the PV device can be printed in strips by a production line.

[0122] As The composite fabric sold by Fabrics, made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers sandwiched between polyester sheets, can be one of the best materials available on the market for high-strength, low-weight applications. At 13 g / m2 and a tensile strength of over 5 kN / m, The lightest fabric itself can be a very suitable receiving substrate for ultra-thin solar devices. It can provide important mechanical support without adding too much weight to the entire system. Figure 5 As described in the example of , a UV curable adhesive (DELO LP655) can be used to transfer laminate the PV device 900. Using a bag laminator, the two films can be sandwiched with enough adhesive to ensure that dry spots and bubbles are not formed. Once UV cured, the edge of the trim assembly can be broken between the releasable substrate 916 and the release liner carrier 914, and allow the release liner carrier 914 to be separated from the PV device 900 and the release liner carrier 914. The fabric assemblies delaminate rapidly.

[0123] Testing of the device before and after delamination showed comparable performance. For example, Figure 9J The characteristics of the test device before and after delamination are shown. The curves in the graph show the current-voltage characteristics of the test device before and after peeling from the release liner carrier. It can be seen that the device before and after peeling shows comparable current-voltage performance. Figure 9J Table 1 below further shows characteristics of the test devices before and after peeling, such as open circuit voltage (Voc) characteristics, short circuit current density (Jsc) characteristics, fill factor (FF) characteristics, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) characteristics.

[0124] Table 1

[0125] Before stripping After stripping Voc[V] 3.7 3.8 <![CDATA[Jsc[mA / cm 2 ]]]> 10.7 10.8 FF[%] 61.2 59.7 PCE [%] 4.9 4.9

[0126] In some cases, in order to fully utilize Figure 9A-9H Important to the potential of the described technology may be the availability of equally ultra-lightweight encapsulation barriers capable of protecting the active layers of the structural PV from atmospheric exposure, which in turn may extend the operating lifetime of these devices as required for real-world applications. Currently available encapsulation films significantly increase the weight of these structures and limit the value of developing form factors for these ultra-lightweight devices. Similarly, a shift to higher efficiency active material groups, such as perovskite thin films or recently reported non-fullerene-based organic systems, may further expand the application areas that can be addressed with this technology. Furthermore, system-level integration of devices, such as PV device 900, with power electronic circuits and storage elements will be important for the technology to transition from laboratory-based demonstrations to consumer-oriented technology.

[0127] Fig.9I PV device 900 is shown delaminated from the release liner carrier onto the Dyneema fabric after UV exposure. An adhesive pad may be used to stabilize the release liner carrier as the PV device 900 is delaminated using a pressure roller. Fig.9ITo illustrate a non-limiting example of application of PV device 900 in a laboratory or small-scale setting.

[0128] Fig.10 An exemplary cross section of a module 1000 of a PV device 900 is shown, which may be a PV device 900 of the type described herein. Figure 9A-9J The PV device 900 described above is the same as the PV device described above. Fig.10 As shown, the PV device 900 may include a silicone coated release liner carrier 1005. Alternatively, the release liner carrier may include a fluorinated material or a fluorosilicone material. The release liner carrier 1005 may extend over all cells 1040 of the PV device 900. In some embodiments, the thickness of the release liner carrier 1005 may be about 125 μm, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Depending on the requirements of a particular application or a particular manufacturing process, the thickness of the release liner carrier may be in the range of about 50 μm to about 150 μm, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The PV device 900 may also include a polyester resin releasable substrate 1010. The releasable substrate 1010 may also extend over all cells 1040 of the PV device 900. In some embodiments, the thickness of the releasable substrate 1010 may be about 3-5 μm, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0129] exist Fig.10 In the example shown, five cells 1040 are created for each module 1000 of the PV device 900. In some embodiments, each cell 1040 may be approximately 10 mm wide, with the interconnection area between cells having a width of approximately 3 mm. Fig.10 As shown, each cell 1040 may include a transparent electrode layer 1015 , an electron transport layer 1020 , a photoactive layer 1025 , a hole transport layer 1030 , and a back contact electrode layer 1035 , but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0130] exist Fig.10 In the example shown, the transparent electrode layer 1015 of each of the five cells 1040 may be formed of conductive nanowires such as silver nanowires. In some embodiments, the thickness of the transparent electrode layer 1015 may be in the range of about 100 nm to about 200 nm, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0131] exist Fig.10In the example shown, the electron transport layer 1020 of each of the five cells 1040 can be formed of tin oxide (SnO2). Additionally or alternatively, the electron transport layer 1020 can be formed by coating tin oxide nanoparticles (e.g., Avantama, N-31) onto the transparent electrode layer 1015 and drying the resulting structure in an oven at 120°C for 3 minutes. In some embodiments, the thickness of the electron transport layer 1020 can be about 40-100 nm, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0132] exist Fig.10 In the example shown, the photoactive layer 1025 of each of the five cells 1040 may be made of an organic semiconductor compound (e.g., poly(3-hexylthiophene) (e.g., Raynergy-Tek TM The photoactive ink can be formed by dissolving the blend PV2000:PCBM (14 mg / mL) in o-xylene and stirring overnight at 85°C. The photoactive ink can then be applied to the electron transport layer 1020 and dried in an oven at 120°C for 3 minutes. In some embodiments, the photoactive layer can have a thickness of about 250-400 nm, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0133] exist Fig.10 In the example shown, the hole transport layer 1030 of each of the five cells 1040 can be formed by coating poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) on the photoactive layer 1025 and curing the resulting structure in an oven at 120° C. for 3 minutes. In some embodiments, the thickness of the hole transport layer 1030 is approximately 300-800 nm, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0134] exist Fig.10 In the example shown, the back contact layer 1035 of each of the five cells 1040 can be formed by screen printing silver ink (Heraeus TM , SOL530B) and curing the resulting structure in an oven at 120° C. for 3 minutes. In some embodiments, the thickness of the back contact electrode layer 1035 is about 6-10 μm, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0135] exist Fig.10In the example shown, a scribe line 1055 (also labeled P3) can be formed between each of the five cells in the module. Within the scribe line 1055, a pair of dielectric layers 1050 (also labeled P1) can be formed between each group of cells 1040. In some embodiments, the width of each dielectric layer 1050 can be about 6 μm, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0136] exist Fig.10 In the example shown, a conductive interconnect 1045 (also labeled P2) can be formed passing between the printed silver coating of the back contact electrode layer 1035 and the silver transparent electrode layer 1015. A positive terminal 1060 and a negative terminal 1065 can be provided at either end of the module 1000 to receive power generated by the battery 1040 of the module 1000.

[0137] Fig.11A is an exemplary image of a self-supporting test PV device. That is, Fig.11A The PV device shown in FIG. 5 has been removed (eg, peeled away) from its release liner carrier. Fig. 11B is an exemplary image of a test PV device that has been applied to a permanent substrate. In this case, the test PV device is laminated to a composite fabric.

[0138] The following discussion presents other aspects of PV devices, such as PV device 900 , and other aspects of processes for making and using PV devices.

[0139] A. Methods for Preparing Release Liner Carriers, Releasable Substrates, and Transparent Electrode Layers for PV Devices

[0140] This section describes exemplary aspects of preparing a release liner carrier, a releasable substrate, and a transparent electrode layer for a PV device (e.g., PV device 900). Although glass is the carrier material of choice in the literature for preparing such ultrathin devices, it is not suitable for integration into large area coating techniques (e.g., slot die coating and screen printing). Due to the fragile nature of glass and its difficulty in being cut and trimmed, instead, the present invention discusses a flexible release liner carrier. For example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheets can be used. These PET sheets can be coated to allow for delamination of the release substrate and the electronic device. For example, the PET sheets can be coated with silicone.

[0141] Coatable materials for transparent electrodes may include highly conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), silver nanowires (AgNW), and screen-printed silver mesh. As discussed above, Figure 9A-9EThe examples in describe the use of silver nanowire inks. However, alternative embodiments are possible in which the transparent electrode layer is formed of PEDOT:PSS or a combination of PEDOT:PSS and silver nanowire inks. The ink can be applied to the substrate using a slot die sheet to sheet coater. In one aspect, optimized coating conditions can produce a transparent (~85% transmittance) and conductive (15-17Ω / sq) layer. On the other hand, the use of a PEDOT:PSS matrix can produce: (1) reduced surface roughness (compared to nanowire films coated without any filler); and (2) isotropic sheet resistance (which otherwise may be affected by the selective orientation of the nanowires during the coating process). According to the present disclosure, several points on multiple coated test sheets were measured in both the coating direction and the lateral direction, and the calculated averages of the sheet resistance in the corresponding directions were 16.4Ω / sq and 17.4Ω / sq, indicating isotropy of conductivity.

[0142] Once the transparent electrode is formed, an infrared laser can be used to pattern the transparent electrode to produce scribe lines, such as described above. Fig.9D The discussion is underlined at 941. As mentioned above, Figure 9A-9E In the example of , the scribe lines may be spaced 13 mm apart in order to produce a module with 10 mm wide cells and 3 mm wide interconnects. Fig.9D Exemplary schematics of module geometries are discussed. Laser ablation of silver nanowire films can result in edge defects, which can pose a risk of electrical shorts in the device and can limit overall yield in a scaled manufacturing process. To prevent such problems, the scribe lines can be encapsulated by a slot die coated insulator that can also define the scribe lanes where subsequent layers (e.g., conductive interconnect 943) will be coated.

[0143] B. Methods of Preparing Electron Transport Layers, Hole Transport Layers, Active Layers, and Top Electrodes for PV Devices

[0144] This section describes exemplary aspects of the preparation of electron transport layers, hole transport layers, active layers, and top electrode layers of a PV device (e.g., PV device 900). Figure 9C-9EIn the example of , the transparent electrode layer of the PV device 900 can be formed of silver nanowires, the electron transport layer 920 can be formed of tin oxide, the photoactive layer 922 can be formed of PV200:PCBM, the hole transport layer 924 can be formed of PEDOT:PSS, and the back contact electrode layer 926 can be formed of screen printed silver. The root mean square roughness of the coated nanowire film can be 11.8nm over a scan range of 20μm×20μm, and can be further reduced to 7.7nm by depositing a film of tin oxide nanoparticles (approximately 7nm in size) (which can act as an electron transport layer in the completed PV device). As described above, the photoactive PV layer of PV2000:PCBM can be coated on top of the tin oxide particles, followed by a hole transport PEDOT:PSS layer. A relatively thick layer of hole transport material can be coated on top of the active layer to provide sufficient protection from the mechanical grinding process of screen printing the silver top electrode.

[0145] Although specific materials are referenced herein, it should be understood that other materials having similar functional and / or structural properties may be substituted where appropriate, and that one of ordinary skill in the art will understand how to select and incorporate such materials into embodiments of the concepts, techniques, and structures described herein without departing from the scope of these teachings.

[0146] Fig.12 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing environment 1200 for implementing embodiments of the present disclosure. The arrangement and number of components in the computing environment 1200 are provided for illustrative purposes. Additional arrangements, numbers of components, and other modifications consistent with the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0147] like Fig.12 As shown, computing environment 1200 may include one or more computing systems 1210, network 1220, and machines and / or systems 1230. Computing system(s) 1210 may be coupled to machine(s) and / or system(s) 1230 via network(s) 1220.

[0148] As an example, computing system 1210 may include Fig.13 The computing device 1310 may include, for example, a personal computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a server, a mobile computer, a mobile phone, a smart phone, a tablet computer, and / or other types of computing devices. In some embodiments, the computing device 1310 may be implemented using a hardware device and / or a software application running thereon. The computing device 1310 may be connected to one or more machines and / or systems 1230 (see, for example, FIG. 1230 ) via one or more networks 1220. Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 , Figure 9H ) communications. The computing device 1210 may store software that enables the computing device 1210 to access stored information and control the machine(s) and / or system(s) 1230 to perform Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 6 and / or Figure 9H The method in .

[0149] The computing environment 1200 may include one or more networks 1220. In some embodiments, the network(s) 1220 may be one or more local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), or any combination of these networks. The network(s) 1220 may include network types such as Ethernet, intranet, twisted pair, coaxial cable, fiber optic, cellular, satellite, IEEE 802.11, WiFi, terrestrial communications, the Internet, and / or other types of wired or wireless networks. The network(s) 1220 may include any combination of these different network types.

[0150] Machine and / or system 1230 may include information about Figure 8 One or more machines described and / or about Figure 5 , Figure 7 or Figure 9H In some embodiments, the machine and / or system 1230 may include one or more computing devices (see, e.g., Fig.13 The computing device(s) 1310 within the machine and / or system 1230 may enable the machine and / or system 1230 to receive instructions from one or more computing systems 1210 via one or more networks 1220. In this manner, the machine and / or system 1230 may be configured to receive instructions for executing instructions related to Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 6 or Figure 9H The method of describing the part of the instructions, and executing these instructions.

[0151] Fig.13 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary computing system 1210 that can be used to implement embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. The computing system 1210 may include one or more computing devices 1310. The computing system 1210 may be used to implement Fig.12 The computing system 1210 and / or Fig.12 The arrangement and number of components in computing system 1210 are provided for illustrative purposes. Additional arrangements, numbers of components, or other modifications consistent with the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0152] like Fig.13As shown, the computing device 1310 may include one or more processors 1320 for executing instructions. Processors suitable for executing instructions may include, for example, general-purpose and special-purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any type of digital computer. The computing device 1310 may also include one or more input / output (I / O) devices 1330. As an example, the I / O device 1330 may include keys, buttons, a mouse, a joystick, a stylus, etc. The keys and / or buttons may be physical and / or virtual (e.g., provided on a touch screen interface). The computing device 1310 may also be connected to one or more displays (not shown) via I / O 1330. The display may be implemented using one or more display panels, which may include, for example, one or more cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), plasma displays, light emitting diode (LED) displays, touch screen type displays, projector displays (e.g., images projected on a screen or surface, holographic images, etc.), organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, 3-dimensional (3-D) displays, electronic paper (e-ink) displays, or any combination of the above types of displays.

[0153] The computing device 1310 may include one or more storage devices configured to store data and / or software instructions used by the processor(s) 1320 to perform operations consistent with the disclosed embodiments. For example, the computing device 1310 may include a main memory 1340 configured to store one or more software programs that, when executed by the processor(s) 1320, cause the processor(s) 1320 to perform functions or operations consistent with the disclosed embodiments.

[0154] As examples, main memory 1340 may include NOR and / or NAND flash memory devices, read-only memory (ROM) devices, random access memory (RAM) devices, etc. Computing device 1310 may also include one or more storage media 1350. As examples, storage media (s) 1350 may include hard disk drives, solid-state drives, tape drives, redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID) arrays, etc. Although Fig.13 Only one main memory 1340 and one storage medium 1350 are shown, but the computing device 1310 may include any number of main memories 1340 and storage media 1350. Fig.13 Main memory 1340 and storage media 1350 are shown as part of computing device 1310 , but main memory 1340 and / or storage media 1350 may be located remotely, and computing device 1310 may be able to access main memory 1340 and / or storage media 1350 via network(s) 1220 .

[0155] Storage medium(s) 1350 may be configured to store data and may store data received from one or more other computing devices 1310. The data may take various forms, such as documents, tables, lists, software applications, files, instructions, and any other type of information and / or content that may be used in a network application, or any combination thereof.

[0156] The computing device 1310 may also include one or more communication interfaces 1360. The communication interface(s) 1360 may allow software and / or data to be transferred between the computing devices 1310, such as between the computing system 1210 and the machine(s) and / or system(s) 1230 via the network(s) 1220. Examples of the communication interface 1360 may include a modem, a network interface card (e.g., an Ethernet card), a communication port, a Personal Computer Memory International Association (PCMCIA) slot and card, an antenna, and the like. The communication interface(s) 1360 may transfer software and / or data in the form of signals, which may be electronic, electromagnetic, optical, and / or other types of signals. The signals may be provided to / from the communication interface(s) 1360 via a communication path (e.g., the network(s) 1220), which may be implemented using wired, wireless, cable, optical fiber, radio frequency (RF), and / or other communication channels.

[0157] Various embodiments of the concepts, systems, devices, structures, and techniques for which protection is sought are described herein with reference to the relevant drawings. Alternative embodiments may be designed without departing from the scope of the concepts, systems, devices, structures, and techniques described herein. Note that various connections and positional relationships (e.g., above, below, adjacent, etc.) are described between the elements in the following description and the drawings. Unless otherwise indicated, these connections and / or positional relationships may be direct or indirect, and the described concepts, systems, devices, structures, and techniques are not intended to be limited in this regard. Therefore, the coupling of entities may refer to direct or indirect coupling, and the positional relationship between entities may be a direct or indirect positional relationship.

[0158] As an example of an indirect positional relationship, references in this specification to forming layer "A" on layer "B" include the case where one or more intervening layers (e.g., layer "C") are located between layer "A" and layer "B", as long as the relevant properties and functions of layer "A" and layer "B" are not substantially changed by the (multiple) intervening layers. The following definitions and abbreviations are used to interpret the claims and specifications. As used herein, the terms "comprise", "comprising", "includes", "including", "has", "having", "contains" or "containing" or any other variation thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a composition, mixture, process, method, article, or apparatus comprising a series of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements that are not explicitly listed or inherent to such a composition, mixture, process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0159] Additionally, the term "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment or design described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or superior to other embodiments or designs. The terms "one or more" and "one or more" are understood to include any integer greater than or equal to 1, i.e., 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. The term "plurality" is understood to include any integer greater than or equal to 2, i.e., 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. The term "connected" may include both indirect "connections" and direct "connections."

[0160] References in the specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "an exemplary embodiment," etc. indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but each embodiment may include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with an embodiment, whether or not explicitly described, it is considered to be within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to implement such feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments.

[0161] For the purposes of the description below, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom" and their derivatives shall relate to the structures and methods being described (as oriented in the accompanying drawings). The terms "overlying", "above", "on top of", "located on..." or "located on top of..." indicate that a first element (e.g., a first structure) is present on a second element (e.g., a second structure), wherein an intermediate element (e.g., an interface structure) may be present between the first element and the second element. The term "directly contacting" indicates that a first element (e.g., a first structure) and a second element (e.g., a second structure) are connected without any intervening elements.

[0162] The use of ordinal terms such as "first", "second", "third", etc. to modify claim elements in the claims does not itself imply any priority, precedence or order of one claim element relative to another claim element, or the temporal order of the actions of performing the method, but is merely used as a mark to distinguish one claim element with a specific name from another element with the same name (but used using ordinal terms), thereby distinguishing the claim elements.

[0163] The terms "approximately" and "about" may be used to mean within ±20% of a target value in some embodiments, within ±10% of a target value in some embodiments, within ±5% of a target value in some embodiments, and within ±2% of a target value in some embodiments. The terms "approximately" and "about" may include a target value. The term "substantially equal" may be used to refer to values ​​that are within ±20% of each other in some embodiments, within ±10% of each other in some embodiments, within ±5% of each other in some embodiments, and within ±2% of each other in some embodiments.

[0164] The term "substantially" may be used to refer to values ​​that are within ±20% of a comparison measurement in some embodiments, within ±10% in some embodiments, within ±5% in some embodiments, and within ±2% in some embodiments. For example, a first direction that is "substantially" perpendicular to a second direction may refer to a first direction that is within ±20% of a 90° angle with the second direction in some embodiments, within ±10% of a 90° angle with the second direction in some embodiments, within ±5% of a 90° angle with the second direction in some embodiments, and within ±2% of a 90° angle with the second direction in some embodiments.

[0165] It should be understood that the disclosed subject matter is not limited in its application to the construction details and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or shown in the accompanying drawings. The disclosed subject matter can have other embodiments and can be practiced and executed in various ways. In addition, it should be understood that the wording and terminology adopted herein are for descriptive purposes and should not be considered restrictive. Thus, those skilled in the art will understand that the concepts on which the present disclosure is based can be easily used as the basis for other structures, methods and systems designed to perform several purposes of the disclosed subject matter. Therefore, the claims should be deemed to include such equivalent constructions as long as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter.

[0166] While the disclosed subject matter has been described and illustrated in the foregoing exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the disclosure is made by way of example only and that numerous changes may be made in details of implementation of the disclosed subject matter without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter.

Claims

1. A method comprising: forming a releasable substrate on a release liner carrier by applying a solution to the release liner carrier; as well as An electronic device is formed over the releasable substrate to produce a transferable electronic device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The solution includes a soluble resin.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The soluble resin is polyester.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The release liner carrier includes a silicone coating.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: identifying a characteristic of the releasable substrate; selecting a solution based on the identified properties; as well as The selected solution is applied to the release liner carrier to form a releasable substrate having the identified characteristics.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein: The desired property is an ultraviolet light filtering property, the method further comprising: determining a concentration of an ultraviolet light filtering dye included in the solution based on the ultraviolet light filtering characteristic; selecting a solution comprising the ultraviolet light filtering dye at the determined concentration; and The selected solution is applied to form the releasable substrate having the ultraviolet light filtering properties.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein: The desired characteristic is a thickness characteristic, the method further comprising: determining a concentration of a soluble resin included in the solution based on the thickness characteristic; selecting a solution comprising the soluble resin at the determined concentration; and The selected solution is applied to form the releasable substrate having the thickness characteristic.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Forming the electronic device further includes: forming a first functional layer of the electronic device by coating or printing a first solution on the releasable substrate; and The second functional layer of the electronic device is formed by coating or printing a second solution on the first functional layer.

9. A structure comprising an electronic device, comprising: a silicone coated release liner carrier; a releasable substrate comprising a resin and formed over the silicone coated release liner carrier; as well as An electronic device is formed on the releasable substrate.

10. The structure according to claim 9, wherein: The releasable substrate is polyester.

11. The structure according to claim 9, wherein: The release liner carrier is configured to be removed from the releasable substrate without damaging the releasable substrate or the electronic device.

12. The structure according to claim 9, wherein: The electronic device is a photovoltaic device.

13. The structure according to claim 9, wherein: The electronic device is comprised of at least a first functional layer and a second functional layer, the first functional layer being attached to the releasable substrate.

14. The structure according to claim 9, wherein: The releasable substrate has ultraviolet filtering properties, moisture-proof properties, scratch-resistant properties, anti-reflective properties, or thickness properties.

15. The structure according to claim 9, wherein: The silicone coated release liner carrier is flexible.

16. A method comprising: removing the silicone coated release liner carrier from a releasable substrate comprising a resin, wherein the releasable substrate is attached to an electronic device; and The releasable substrate and the electronic device are applied to a permanent substrate.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising: The silicone coated release liner carrier is reused to form another electronic device.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The permanent substrate is a fabric.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The releasable substrate is formed from polyester.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising: The electronic device is operated on the permanent substrate.

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