Challenges and opportunities for Challenges and opportunities for the flexible electronics industrythe flexible electronics industry

Ross BringansRoss Bringans

Palo Alto Research Center, Inc.Palo Alto Research Center, Inc.

bringans@parc.combringans@parc.com

about PARCabout PARC

4 Divisions4 DivisionsComputer ScienceIntelligent SystemsHardware SystemsElectronic Materials & Devices

Palo Alto Research Center – incorporated in 2002 (formerly Xerox PARC)

www.parc.comwww.parc.com

Large Area Electronics, MEMS, Optoelectronics,

Printing Systems, Biomedical Systems,Clean Technology, ...

about PARCabout PARC

Research as a businessResearch as a businessResearch with client companies and the GovernmentPartnerships with new venturesNew business creation Licensing and technology transfer

Palo Alto Research Center – incorporated in 2002 (formerly Xerox PARC)

www.parc.comwww.parc.com

The Vision for Flexible ElectronicsThe Vision for Flexible Electronics

There will be new applications that There will be new applications that utilizeutilize flexibilityflexibility

And new applications that And new applications that benefit frombenefit from flexibilityflexibilityLighter, more robust,…..Lowered cost of manufacturingCustom devices and systems

A destabilizing technology will be createdA destabilizing technology will be createdThere are likely to be new winners

Will they be in Asia, Europe or USA?

Applications that need flexibilityApplications that need flexibilityDisplaysDisplays

Placed on curved surfaces, wearableRoll-ableRobust

PhotovoltaicsPhotovoltaicsPlaced on curved surfacesAesthetics as well as function

Digital XDigital X--ray imagersray imagersConformal – surrounding the objectRobust

Medical devicesMedical devicesElectronic patchImplantables

Systems on a foilSystems on a foilWearable devicesDesigned for people, not imposed on them

Benefits to industry from flexible substratesBenefits to industry from flexible substrates

RollRoll--roll manufacturingroll manufacturingExists in many areas: newspapers, packages…..Low cost at high volume

Thin, light substratesThin, light substratesUltra-light systemsStackable

RobustnessRobustnessNo brittle devices

ExamplesExamplesRFIDPhotovoltaicsSmart labelsLightingSmart phonesTablets…….

Our perspective:Our perspective:

Flexible Electronics is an exciting opportunity Flexible Electronics is an exciting opportunity New technology capabilities New business opportunities

And And –– it is happeningit is happeningParticularly in Europe

Applications will drive the technologyApplications will drive the technologyPeople want solutions – not technologyAnd they want convergence of functions

ChallengesChallengesCommercial: How can we launch the industry?Government: Where is the best leverage?

PARCPARC’’s approachs approachMake Make ““standardstandard”” technologies flexibletechnologies flexible

Amorphous and poly-crystalline Si

Exploit printing technologyExploit printing technologyInkjetGravure

Develop organic electronicsDevelop organic electronics

Demonstrate with applicationsDemonstrate with applicationsDisplaysSensorsSystems

Develop hybrid approachesDevelop hybrid approaches

Example 1:Example 1:AllAll‐‐additive printed arraysadditive printed arrays

Gate line

Data line

Semiconductor

Pixel pad

340 um

680 um

PARC has 

demonstrated 

all‐printed TFT 

backplanes for 

displays

J. Soc. Info. Display 2007, 7, 485-490

Why this is importantWhy this is important

Fewer stepsFewer stepsPrinted:

4 layers = 4 stepsTraditional:

4 layers = 16-20 steps

Scalable to simpler Scalable to simpler applicationsapplications

custom applicationsSmart labels etc.

Example 1:Example 1:AllAll‐‐additive printed arraysadditive printed arrays

Gate line

Data line

Semiconductor

Pixel pad

340 um

680 um

Gate line

Data line

Semiconductor

Pixel pad

340 um

680 um

PARC has demonstrated all‐printed TFT backplanes for 

displays

PARC has demonstrated all‐printed TFT backplanes for 

displays

J. Soc. Info. Display 2007, 7, 485-490

Example 2:Example 2: Printed Sensor TapePrinted Sensor Tape

Sensors

S1

Sn

Amplifiers

A1

AnAnalog memory bank

calibration

clock, logic

event trigger

read

out

laminated battery

Time • Monitor pressure, acceleration, sound, light• Signals recognized, processed, sent to memory• Non-volatile memory holds data for one week• Off-board readout system

Monitoring environment to prevent traumatic brain injury.Monitoring environment to prevent traumatic brain injury. (DARPA)(DARPA)

source: MicroVision

Sensor Tape: Printed ElectronicsSensor Tape: Printed ElectronicsRing oscillator Shift Register

Amplifier

APL, 94, 233307 2009JAP, 106, 094504 2009

Memory

SensorsSensorsPiezoelectric sensingPiezoelectric sensing

pressure

acceleration

Laminated PVDF foil or PVDF-TrFE solution

Sensor Tape: Next step: integration MEMS sensors

VDD

Vout

Vin

bias

Printed organic amplifiers

Pressure signalafter amplifier

Pressure signalwithout amplifier

Printed memory cells

switch

Memoryinitial

written

What we have learnedWhat we have learnedFlexible sensor systems will be importantFlexible sensor systems will be important

Hybrid devices are very promisingHybrid devices are very promisingSilicon + organicsPrinted + traditional manufacturing

Integration into a system can be doneIntegration into a system can be donebut is challenging

Taking this to the next level is difficultTaking this to the next level is difficultApplications need volumeVolume needs applications

Does the industry wait for a company with enough money and demand to drive the development of a particular device

AND the industry itself?

Example 2:Example 2:Printed Sensor TapePrinted Sensor Tape

Sensors

S1

Sn

Amplifiers

A1

AnAnalog memory bank

calibration

clock, logic

event trigger

read

out

laminated battery

Time • Monitor pressure, acceleration, sound, light• Signals recognized, processed, sent to memory• Non-volatile memory holds data for one week• Off-board readout system

Monitoring environment to prevent traumatic brain injury.Monitoring environment to prevent traumatic brain injury.(DARPA)(DARPA)

source: MicroVisionsource: MicroVision

PARCPARC’’s views viewThe flexible electronics industry has a huge futureThe flexible electronics industry has a huge future

We are active across the industry and work with a wide We are active across the industry and work with a wide range of participantsrange of participants

With our clients and partners, we invent, develop and With our clients and partners, we invent, develop and demonstratedemonstrate

ProcessesPrototypesApplications

We are investing inWe are investing inComponentsPartnerships for manufacturing

What more is needed?What more is needed?

Focus on development of applicationsFocus on development of applicationsThere is currently some funding for processes and capabilities

This should be enhancedWe need to put this together with applications

The big missing piece in the US

This could kickThis could kick--start the industrystart the industry

…. the relatively low prevalence of actual manufacturing and advanced systems research and development in the United States has led to an incomplete hybrid flexible electronics R&D scenario for this country…… [NSF/ONR Report: www.wtec.org/flex/]

Thank youThank you

Acknowledgments:Acknowledgments:

The PARC Large Area Electronics teams led by:The PARC Large Area Electronics teams led by:

Raj Apte, AnaRaj Apte, Ana--Claudia Arias, Bob StreetClaudia Arias, Bob Street