Transfer Printed Active Component Arrays With Conductive Adhesive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for creating large substrates with high-performance thin-film transistors are limited by material waste, high processing costs, and the need for expensive equipment, as well as challenges in transferring active components from one substrate to another without damaging them.
Innovation Solution
The method involves printing electronic components with active layers and conductive elements on a target substrate, using a stamp to transfer these components from a source substrate, and applying an adhesive layer that transitions from nonconductive to conductive upon curing, allowing for efficient electrical coupling and reduced material and processing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sputtering or spin-coating methods are used to form semiconductor layers on large substrates, then the substrate can be processed, but the electronic characteristics and electron mobility are relatively poor
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the manufacturing process into two distinct stages: (1) forming high-quality semiconductor layers on small, easy-to-process substrates using traditional sputtering methods, and (2) transferring these pre-formed layers to the final large substrate. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, achieving both high electronic characteristics and ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The semiconductor layers are prepared in advance on small substrates where they can be thoroughly processed to achieve optimal electronic properties. This preliminary action on small substrates allows complete processing without the constraints of large substrate handling, and the pre-prepared layers are then transferred to the final substrate.
2Ease of manufacture
If photo-lithographic processing is used to define active components on large substrates, then transistors can be formed, but plastic substrates cannot survive the processing and expensive equipment is required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the transistor formation process from the final substrate. Transistors are formed on small substrates using standard photo-lithography, then the completed transistor layers are transferred to the final substrate. This allows flexible substrate choices for the final device without exposing it to damaging photo-lithographic processing.
Solution Approach 2:
A temporary substrate acts as an intermediary that can withstand photo-lithographic processing. The semiconductor layers are formed on this intermediary substrate, then transferred to the final substrate that may be made of flexible or heat-sensitive materials incompatible with photo-lithography.
3Reliability
If mono-crystalline semiconductor wafers are used as substrates, then high-performance integrated circuits can be achieved, but the substrate size is limited and costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses small mono-crystalline semiconductor wafers to form high-performance transistor layers, then transfers these layers to a much larger final substrate. This allows the benefits of mono-crystalline performance to be achieved on large-area substrates that would be impossible to manufacture as single crystal wafers.
Solution Approach 2:
The high-performance transistor structures formed on small mono-crystalline wafers are copied onto a larger substrate through the transfer process. The essential functional characteristics are replicated on the final substrate, achieving large-area high-performance devices.
4Reliability
If semiconductor layers are bonded to substrates and then processed (semiconductor-on-glass method), then high-performance thin-film circuits can be obtained, but the bonding technique is expensive and processing equipment remains expensive
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of bonding semiconductor layers to a substrate and then processing (semiconductor-on-glass), the invention inverts the sequence by forming complete transistor structures on small substrates first, then transferring them to the final substrate. This reversal eliminates the need for expensive bonding techniques and large-substrate processing equipment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables high-performance active components to be printed on large substrates with fewer processing steps and material layers, reducing costs and equipment expenses while maintaining robust electrical interconnections.
Implementation Method 1
applying an adhesive layer that transitions from nonconductive to conductive upon curing
Data Source
AI summary
An active component array includes a target substrate having one or more contacts formed on a side of the target substrate, and one or more printable active components distributed over the target substrate. Each active component includes an active layer having a top side and an opposing bottom side and one or more active element(s) formed on or in the top side of the active layer. The active element(s) are electrically connected to the contact(s), and the bottom side is adhered to the target substrate. Related fabrication methods are also discussed.