Materials Synthesis
Greg Raupp, Director
Designed to advance full color flexible display technology and flexible display manufacturing to the brink of commercialization, the FDC is a university/industry/government collaborative venture. FDC is a nationally unique facility sponsored at $43M by the Army Research Laboratory. Its flexible thin film transistor development involves improved thin film transistor models, circuit design and simulation, circuitry layout and verification with design rules at a transferable scale suitable for high manufacturing yields, fabrication and subsequent characterization, and model parameter extraction. The FDC work on low temperature a-Si on plastic or flexible stainless steel process flows includes proprietary innovations to enhance yield and scalability. Its process line at the current six inch pilot level will move to a GEN II Pilot line this year that includes an Azores stepper, AKT Deposition and Etch Tool, KDF Sputterer and EVG Coater.
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Flexible Display Center
Electro-Optics Research and Development
Ghassan Jabbour, Director
This research emphasizes the next generation of low-cost electronics, photonics, and bioinormatics. The group is involved in state-of-the-art research and development of a wide spectrum of rigid and flexible (including organic and hybrid) photovoltaics, OLEDs, organic thin film transistors, sensors, transparent conductors, encapsulation coatings, and smart textile, from the nano to the mega scale. Our focus is on the fundamental understanding of materials and the development of foundational devices. These efforts also emphasize understanding critical materials issues to allow for their transition and adoption to various manufacturing methods, including screen, inkjet, and roll-to-roll printing techniques which will drastically reduce the cost of the final systems. The group has access to various research and development tools including: screen, inkjet, and gravure printing; analytical; and various low, high and UHV equipment, plus spin and blade coating methods. A distinct organic and hybrid solar cell testing facility based on NREL calibration is used by the team. The interdisciplinary nature of the various research efforts within the group presents a unique educational opportunity for students and teachers at all levels, including high school, pre-college, and university, as well as professionals in training.