SMART STEEL

PRINTED ELECTRONIC DEVICES ON METAL

Dr. GUAINO PhilippeSenior Project Leader – Specialist

- CRM group presentation

- Printed electronic on steel

- Tools and equipement facilities

- Next generation of steel -> smartsteel

CRM Group

CRM Group is a research centre in metallurgy founded in 1948

Global budget (2013) >30 Mio €

CRM Group integrates the talents and the assets of 230 researchers,PHD’s,

technicians & employees

Enhanced capability to compete through innovation in the world economy

CRM Group – Locations

Gent4

Sart-Tilman

Sart-Tilman

Sart-Tilman

Ivoz-Ramet

Gent Liège

EcoTechnoPôle

5 Operational units

OPERATIONAL ORGANISATION CRM Group

16 Technical activities

Metal Production & Recycling

• Raw material processing• Melting & Refining• Recycling & Valorisation

Metal Processing

• Casting, solidification• Process technology• Product metallurgy

Metal Surface & Coatings

• Metallic Coating• Organic Coating• Surface functionalisation

Metal Applications & Construction solutions

• Building & Structure• Civil engineering• Metal Working & Assembly• Solutions & In use properties

Industrial solutions

• Engineering & Thermal technologies• Pilot facilities & Technologies for CCL• Industrial process control &

measurement

CRM Group CRM Group’s Key R&D Pilot Facilities

Continuous hot rolling lineOrganic coating line

Industrial Members

Printed electronic on metal benefit

Markets & applications

-> Automotive

-> Building & construction

-> Aeronautics (anti-icing)

-> General lighting

-> Public lighting and signage

-> Flexible lighting

Metal Glass Plastic

Flexibility/ formability ()

Moisture Barrier properties

Heat dissipation !

Robustness !

Extreme condition (heat

resistance, pressure, high

temperature …) !

()

Electrical conductivity

Scalable

Roll to roll

Recycling

8

Humidity / Gas / Organic compounds

Sensors

OLED – LED sourcesintegration

Lighting

RFID printedantennas

for Wireless communication

Steel Printed circuit board

(metal core PCB)

Heater foils

by printedresistor

Energy conversion by printed piezoelectric

thermoelectric

Energy harvesting

Applications with Printed electronics on metal ?

Coating / patterningby printing technologies in R2R

Active devices on metal foils for large/Medium surface

applications

Advanced metal foils

- printed circuit board

- Interconnection

Active layer stack

Encapsulation (and light extraction - OLED)

- Rigid/flexible/shapeable/Outcoupling

- CC and Viewing angle (OLED)

- protective functional top coat

(Transparent) top electrode

30 µm 100 nm

Anode and cathode sandwich separated by

a thin sensitive stack :

- 100 nm -> OLED / OPV

- 2 µm -> thin film (PV, heater )

- 30 µm -> DBD, interconnection …

Challenges

- Large surface area

- Rough surface

- Dust / contaminations

- Leakage current

- Interfaces permeability (Material diffusion)

- Process ntegration: R2R , Temperature

Cathode

Anode

Advanced metallic substrates(smooth dielectric, conductive electrode, large surface, Back/front side interconnection)

Rigid or flexible substrates stainless steel, thin plated steel, cupper foils…

Substrate cleaning combination of chemical, plasma and vacuum treatment

Dielectric film & Yield Leakage current and short, pinholes free, thermal

managment, working and process temperature

Planarization and optical mirror film reflectivity, cavity, defects free

Anode (or cathode) High conductive electrode

Patterning /Printable (ML) system design, layout => Electronic circuit

Interconnection (back <-> front ) Flexible PCB on steel

Mechanical alteration and failures Cracks, moduli ratio (soft/hard layer), optoelectronic

function alterity (lifetime)

requirements

Steel foils

Electrodes for devices

Back sides Connectors Protective layer

Interconnectiondielectric layer

dielectric and planarisarion layer

SURFACE COATING METHODS

(background for PE)

Low

pressure

Atmospheric

pressure

Plasma assisted

Dip/ spin coating

Bar / Roll coaters

Slot Die coaters

Spray

…

(PE)CVD

PVD

DBD IBAD Chemical

solution

Depostion

Electrochemical

depostion

Sol gel

Gaseous state Solution state Molten or semi molten

state

Laser

Thermal

spray

Lab scale to industrial line

(background for PE in R2R)

Industrial

line

Pilot

Line

Lab

Metals: Al, Mg, Cu, Ti, Zn, …

Inorg. Compounds: TiO2, ZnO, SnO2, TiN, CrN, Al203

Org. Compounds: SiOxCyHz, DLC/a-CHx,

Metal & oxide solvent solution: silver conductive ink

Hybrids: metal-inorganic, inorganic-organic, …

Printed electronic process on steel (lab scale) Screen printing Inkjet

Viscosity µ > 5 Pa.S (paste)

Resolution / Size feature

20 - 60 µm 40 – 100 µm

Jetlab II precision

200 X 200 mm²

µ < 0,05 Pa.S (water)

Semi automatic

CMS XANA 100/140

Flexography/gravure

> 60 µm

Test solution Coatema

(Flexo / Doctor blade / Slot die)

0,1< µ < 5 Pa.S (oil/ peint)

Modular vacuum pilot line for steel foils in ISO 7 clean room

250 mm width

t < 0.4 mm

L = 1000 m for 0.1 mm

Forward / Reverse mode

2 mm/min to 5 m/min

Managed with supervision system

Cleaning

Cooling

Heating - 25°C – 650°C

PECVD

3 Rotative

magnetrons Ion beam

preparationCooling

Stage

Cooling

Stage

Modular R2R wet pilot line for steel foils in ISO

7 clean room

Winding

• Guiding unwind-rewind

• 50 µm –0.4 mm : Tension 2500N

• Speed 0.5-20m/min

Heating - cooling

• Oven with own filtered air system

• Web Temperature 20 – 300°C

• 5 m length : 3 sections regulated

• Cooling top roll

3 rolls

Slot die

Drilling, Laser ablation & interconnection Laser source (within partnerships) :

Laser nano (𝝀 532nm) femtoseconde (fs) (𝝀 1030nm) 20W IR F-Thêta lens 100mm Scanner head 3D

Laser drilling => interconnection

« selective » laser ablation => Layer patterning

Ex: Al layer on advanced stainlesssteel

Cupper / Stainless

and low carbon steel

Drilling laser ablation

=> integration in R2R wet process

500 µm

300 µm

width

10 µm

width

Interconnection

Option for Dielectric based steel substrate at CRM

- Combination of multilayer system : inorganic thin film / organic coating

(Porosity (PVD) Vs Dielectric, current leakage )

- Dielectric formulation

Adherence/ T°C stability/ viscosity for process deposition…

Dielectric properties

r~ 2-4 r~ 3-5 r~ 10 – 100

VB ~5-30kV/mm - ~ 1014 - 1016 Ohm.cm

– Roughness coverage <>

process deposition

good good Medium

Mechanical constraint /

Moduli ratio (E1/E2)

E~ 2- 5 GPa E~ 2- 5 GPa E~60 – 400 Gpa

Cracks / alterity

Cost + +++ +

« Printable » Yes (easy) Yes (high viscosity) Yes (particles)

Epoxy based

T stability for working and process

Polyimide based

<350°C<170°C > 650°C

Ceramic based

Organic (particles)

Inorganic (PVD)

Al2O3, TiO2…

Understand the key parameter to enhanced life time of nanometric thin films on polymer

High elastic moduli mismatch (10 <E1/E2 <100)

strain and stress mechanical transfer between each layer

Visco-elasto-plastic effect

Competition between failure mode

Normal or/and

sliding contact

Polymer

PQ

Steel substrate

Contact mechanics approach

Failure can be induced during local solicitation?

Contact mode can induce: cracks, interface

weakness, debonding, matter removal,…

C.H. Sacre et al,

Bending3 - 4 points bending

Tensile stress

Functionnal integrity

- Dielectric alteration

- Electrode (conductivity) alteration

J.Lewis, Materials Today 6 (2006) 38

Bending solicitation

Cracks and debonding induced

Mechanical for electronic tools: integrity of devices properties

Delamination

Cracks

Adherence

…

2 μm polyimide

2 μm

4,5 μm polyimide

2 μm

9 μm polyimide

2 μm

Decreasing intensity of fragmentation at same load

Increasing thickness of polymer interlayer increases durability of ML systems

film

polymer

substrate

Example : Thicker polymer interlayer delays film fragmentation

0 20 40 60 80 100-2,5

-2,0

-1,5

-1,0

-0,5

0,0

9 µm

4,5 µm

Scratch depth during scratch [µm]

Scratch distance [µm]

scratch start

2 µm Thin soft layer

Matter confinement

High Pile-upHy

po

thes

is

Polymer

Strain field in the ML

(FEM - Abaqus)

C.H. Sacre et al,

20

Humidity / Gas / Organic compounds

Sensors

OLED – LED sourcesintegration

Lighting

RFID printedantennas

for Wireless communication

Steel Printed circuit board

Heater foils

by printedresistor

Energy conversion by printed piezoelectric

thermoelectric

Energy harvesting

Applications with Printed electronics on metal ?

Coating / patterningby printing technologies in R2R

Steel Printed circuit board

Use advanced steel substrate as a reliable flexible support for circuit board, especially in extreme environment (high pressure condition, heat dissipation … )

- Heat dissipation- flexible/rigid/Sheapable - Extreme environment (Pressure , temperature…) - Robust & Smart- SMD components integration- Steel as a support : Free surface available- Continus Process & Cost

Steel foils

Electrode for devices

Back sides Connectors Protective layer

Interconnectiondielectric layer

dielectric and planarisarion layer

LED steel foils and seel surface Lighting LED

Concept

- Lighting LED steel foils

- Light guiding

-> through screen printed light extraction dots surface

-> Advanced (roofing) steel -> as a SMD electronics components (LED,

sensors, resistors …)

-> Inkjet/screen printer -> circuit board integration on advanced steel. Surface Lighting

Light extractions through light

diffusing dots

Edge lighting

Circuit board steel bend and

formed - Roofing steel

Printed heater foils

Printed resistors

Printed DBD devices(Dielectric Barrier Discharge)

Plasma Conductive

tracksProtective film

steel foils

Dielectric (ceramic based)

Paschen’s law

Steel foils

Protective layer

Dielectric layer (high T)

resistors

~ 270°C

10x10cm²

heater foil

T°C mapping

(IR camera)

of working heater foil10x10cm²

Printed DBD foil

Working

BDB discharge

(400V@300mBar)

OLED on steel : Global Context

Lighting Display Signage

Kido

Osram

Samsung Galaxy

Curved screen

Automotive

Blackbody

New Samsung OLED TV

OLED applications

p- HTL n-ETLEMLEBL HBLAnode Cathode

é

O

é éé

h

OO

O

é

O

e >>

e <<

EF

EF

OLED device operation on metal foils

- Advanced metal foils

- p-i-n OLED

- EML phosphorescent doped layer

- PLED (PEDOT:PSS)

- Hybrid : Polymer/small molecules

-Transparent & conductive top electrode

- Outcoupling and rigid/flexible encapsulation

Metal foils

Emissive layer

Transparent top ‘cathode’

HBL

EBL

P doped HTL

n doped ETL

Capping layer

Encapsulation

h

- Inverted / non inverted devices

- Monochromatic and white colors

0 nm

400 nm

0 nm

50 nm

Ra 110 nm

Z range: 1645 nm

Ra 3.3 nm

Z range: 25 nm

Bared foil

Advanced

steel

substrates

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500Longueur d'ondes (nm)

Refl

ecti

vit

y (

%)

Rt

Rd

Rs

Rt > 95% in visible range

150mm

M.I.M. junction

Electrical short free

µA (dc)@10VoltsLeakage Current

Example of advanced metallic substrates with stainless steel

60 x 60 cm ² panel

First Prototype large area lighting sources on

stainless steel – Achievements 2011

2006

proof of

principle

From

monochromatic

to white OLED

2011

3.5V; 16Cd/A

3.5V; 73Cd/A

>25 Cd/A / 22-26 Lm/W

Sheapable OLED on Cupper and stainless steel

Pole Mecatech project (wallonia region): 2013 -2016

With : AGC, CE+T , CSL , CRM Group, CE+T, LASEA, MateriaNova, TAIPRO, UCL,UNAMUR, SOLVAY

Concept

- Curved p-i-n OLED devices on cupper foil.

- Circuit board integration on advanced steel.

- Light extraction Improvement: encapsulation covers and substrate texturation.

Curved devices assembly

OLED on Cu foils OLED on SS

Substrate texturation

Low cost Efficient Oleds for lighting

H2020 – ICT 29 (2015 – 2018)

Context : Develop a low cost & efficient OLED on low carbon steel foil (highly challenging)

GOALS OF LEO PROJECTLarge area devices

(new SoA)

&

Large Demonstrators

SoA

LEO

Structure A:

Structure WA:

Structure WAW:

Enhanced light

extraction cathode

&

Photo-patternable

sol-gel hard-coat

Cheaper, greener and

more efficient OLED

Dry Technology

Integrated back side

OLED connections

on LCS substrate

Integration of

Cu-based EmitterNumerous news

technological

components

Surface LCS preparation

(Polyimide – epoxy)

&

PVD anode integration

Wet anode integration

on LCS substrate

Dry/Wet hybrid Technology

Advanced metallic substrates with low carbon steel

Rms (sq)= 0.39 nm

Epoxy /LCS

Rms (sq)= 0.33 nm

Polyimide /LCS

I leakage < 50 pA /cm²

Dielectric coating solution

Anode (PVD – bilayer ) solution

SEM

Up to

Yield

Of

100 %

Steel (140 µm)

Anode (bilayer)

Dielectric

Current

(mA)

(Ohm/sq)

Anode on glass 10 4.76 10-1

Anode on Diel/LCS 10 4.74 10-1

Substrate : Low Carbon steel / epoxy with PVD Ag anodes

glass

LCS

Same operating voltage

But still High leakage current

And pinholes

Curr

ent

den

sity

(m

A/c

m2)

Voltage (V)

STATUS ON THE TECHNOLOGICAL BUILDING BLOCKS

glass

LCS

CNR-ISMN

Polymide

based

dielectric

Epoxy

based

dielectric

Dry process Dry & wet process Large OLED lighting

on steel has started

But life time is still an issue

From dry to Vacuum/wet hybrid technoSize

(First proof of concept in bottom

emitting OLEDs at lab scale).Green OLED: 38 Cd/A@ 2000 Cd/m²

180 mm

Front Back

Example of layout Interconnection layout

Back side interconnection with printing circuit board on low carbon steel

Front side Back side

Devices Interconnected devices substrate

Partners

DEM 1’white RGB, dry, >500cm² plain

rectangular

TRL5

DEM 2’’full colours RGB, hybrid, 25cm²,

macropixel

TRL5

DEM 1white RGB, dry, 25cm²

DEM 2full colours RGB, hybrid, 1*1cm²

DEM 1’’warm / cold white, dry, >500cm²,

macropixel

TRL 5

M21

M30

M36

M24

20cm10cm0 20cm10cm0

DEM 2’White RGB, hybrid, >40cm²

Dry – tandem Hybrid – single

R&D line

Pilot line

DEM 1’white RGB, dry, >500cm² plain

rectangular

TRL5

DEM 2’’full colours RGB, hybrid, 25cm²,

macropixel

TRL5

DEM 1white RGB, dry, 25cm²

DEM 2full colours RGB, hybrid, 1*1cm²

DEM 1’’warm / cold white, dry, >500cm²,

macropixel

TRL 5

M21

M30

M36

M24

20cm10cm0 20cm10cm0

DEM 2’White RGB, hybrid, >40cm²

Dry – tandem Hybrid – single

R&D line

Pilot line

Conformable substrate

with advanced anode and back-

side integrated connecting

Rare Earth free RGB

materials for hybrid

processing

Indium free transparent cathode

Hard thin film encapsulation

Top emitted tailored outcoupling

Top emission tandem stacks on metal foil

White & Full colours OLEDs

Bu

ild

ing

blo

ck

s

Homogeneous large-area lighting panel on metal foil

& 2-Colour Large Area Lighting panel on metal foil

Lower cost top emission on metal foils

Full colours OLEDs

DEM 1’

(TRL 5) Beyond LEO

Reduced cost at

OLED system level

Hybrid

ProcessingDry

Processing

De

vic

e

inte

gra

tio

n

Sys

tem

de

mo

ns

tra

tio

n

Scaling-up

Lif

e C

ycl

e A

nal

ysi

s

DEM 1 DEM 2

DEM 1’’

(TRL 5)

High efficiency &

improved lifetime

High Energy Efficacy

High materials utilization

Large area processing

Reduced CAPEX

End-users

DEM 2’’

(Feasibility, TRL 5)

DEM2’

Conformable substrate

with advanced anode and back-

side integrated connecting

Rare Earth free RGB

materials for hybrid

processing

Indium free transparent cathode

Hard thin film encapsulation

Top emitted tailored outcoupling

Top emission tandem stacks on metal foil

White & Full colours OLEDs

Bu

ild

ing

blo

ck

s

Homogeneous large-area lighting panel on metal foil

& 2-Colour Large Area Lighting panel on metal foil

Lower cost top emission on metal foils

Full colours OLEDs

DEM 1’

(TRL 5) Beyond LEO

Reduced cost at

OLED system level

Hybrid

ProcessingDry

Processing

De

vic

e

inte

gra

tio

n

Sys

te

m

de

mo

ns

tra

tio

n

Scaling-up

Lif

e C

yc

le A

na

lys

is

DEM 1 DEM 2

DEM 1’’

(TRL 5)

High efficiency &

improved lifetime

High Energy Efficacy

High materials utilization

Large area processing

Reduced CAPEX

End-users

DEM 2’’

(Feasibility, TRL 5)

DEM2’

Conformable substrate

with advanced anode and back-

side integrated connecting

Rare Earth free RGB

materials for hybrid

processing

Indium free transparent cathode

Hard thin film encapsulation

Top emitted tailored outcoupling

Top emission tandem stacks on metal foil

White & Full colours OLEDs

Bu

ild

ing

blo

ck

s

Homogeneous large-area lighting panel on metal foil

& 2-Colour Large Area Lighting panel on metal foil

Lower cost top emission on metal foils

Full colours OLEDs

DEM 1’

(TRL 5) Beyond LEO

Reduced cost at

OLED system level

Hybrid

ProcessingDry

Processing

De

vic

e

inte

gra

tio

n

Sys

te

m

de

mo

ns

tra

tio

n

Scaling-up

Lif

e C

ycle

An

aly

sis

DEM 1 DEM 2

DEM 1’’

(TRL 5)

High efficiency &

improved lifetime

High Energy Efficacy

High materials utilization

Large area processing

Reduced CAPEX

End-users

DEM 2’’

(Feasibility, TRL 5)

DEM2’

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION