High Definition Selective Metallization for Printed Electronics

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1 High Definition Selective Metallization for Printed Electronics Wolfgang Decker VAST FILMS, Ltd.

2 Outline Introduction of VAST FILMS What is Selective Metalization Range of Applications for Selective Metalization High Resolution Patterning for Security and Flexible Electronics

3 VAST FILMS, Ltd. Founded April 2005 Privately Owned and Operated Located in Darlington, PA (north of Pittsburgh) Specializing in Roll to Roll (R2R) Vacuum Coating for Functional Applications Process Development Application Development Scale up from Lab to Full Scale Production Capabilities: Thermal Evaporation E-Beam Evaporation In-Chamber Polymer Coating Plasma Treatment Selective Metalization Slitting / Rewinding

4 Selective Metallization A Coating of a perflouropolyether compound is applied to surfaces inhibiting the deposition of a source material by evaporating or sputtering within a vacuum, and for the deposition of such material onto irregular surfaces, voids or holes of an object US-Patent 4,022,928, Bernhard P. Piwcyzk, issued May 10, 1972

5 Selective Metalization Deposition of Metal only onto areas that the metal is wanted. Application of Masking Fluid through means of Printing Technology Unwind Wind - up Steel Rubber Roller Roller with pattern Ceramic Roll for fluid transport Oil pattern Special oil Al evaporation (low surface tension) Patterned Aluminum Heat of Al condensation evaporates oil and prevents Al deposition 27 Picture Courtesy of Flex Products

6 Selective Metalization: Process Capabilities High Speed Process ~ 10 m/s web speed possible High Resolution Structure sizes < 25µm have been realized High Edge Definition High Clear to Metal Ratio possible Variety of Metals possible Aluminum, Copper, Silver, Iron and others

7 Applications for Selective Focused Microwave Susceptors Helps to concentrate Susceptor Heat to areas where it is required Metallization

8 Applications for Selective Decorative and Functional Patterns e.g. MetDetect Pattern Pattern transparent to Radio Waves Allows to use package in Metal Detectors Allows to put RFID tags and Anti-Theft Devices on the inside of the package Metallization

9 Applications for Selective Security e.g. Micro Printing in Decorative Packages Printing appears to be clean line to naked eye Micro Printing is visible with high magnification Metallization

10 Flexible Electronic Circuits Selective Metalization allows to deposit Conductive Traces on Flexible Film Substrates Requirements: High Resolution Low Resistivity Selection of different Metals Deposit of registered 2 nd layer of traces

11 High Resolution Patterning Commonly used Technology for application of masking fluids is Flexo Printing Historically referred to as Potato Printing Flexo recently has made great advances Newer Flexo Plate Technology approaches single digit µm feature size This benefits also Pattern Metalization

12 High Resolution Patterning Example: RFID Antenna Termination Points need to be exact to allow proper positioning of RFID Chip

13 High Resolution Patterning Example: Security Detail Globe Pattern Smallest Feature Size less than 25 µm

14 Low Resisitivity Low Resistivity is required specifically for RFID Antennas Deposition with Aluminum: Surface Resistivity of < 0.2 Ω Realized Deposition with Copper: Surface Resistivity of < 0.04 Ω Realized Maximum Deposition Thickness a direct function of Heat Stability of Substrate Above resistivities created on 2 and 4 mil PET Tests pending with Polyimid (Kapton)

15 Low Resisitivity / High Resolution Low Resistivity + High Resolution = Transparent Conductors High Res Grid Structures allow creation of highly conductive, yet highly transparent surfaces Can be used for Solid State Lighting Solar Cells

16 Transparent Electrodes Equivalent Resistivities of a Grid Structure Depo sit Res. Of Deposit [Ω/ ] Line Width [µm] Line Distance [µm] Square Area [µm²] Line Area [µm²] Total Coverage [%] Expected Surface Resistance [Ω/ ] Al , Al , Al , Al , Cu , Cu , Cu , Cu ,

17 Transparent Conductors Combination of Transparent Conductive Oxides (TCO) or Conductive Polymers (P- DOT) with Grid Electrode provide High Conductivitiy High Transparency Lower Cost on TCO (esp. ITO or P-DOT) Combination of both yields lower Resistivities with high Transparency and lower Cost

18 Future Developments Registration for Multilayer Circuits Re-insertion of Pattern Metalized Film to apply additional circuitry or registered dielectric deposits (including semi conducting materials) Registration Unit in Metallizer already, currently calibrating System

19 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!