Printed electronic pioneers tackle new markets

Craig Cruickshank of UK consultancy cintelliq sees printed photovoltaic PV materials and printed Organic Field Effect Transistor OFET materials improving rapidly. He sees progress toward integrated devices, better printed lasers, printed rectifiers and printed resistors and much more besides. He reports that Universal Display Corporation has broadened its approach with substantial funding directed at infrared displays for military night vision, novel smart window concepts, both commercial and residential, and solid state lighting, notably energy efficient white lighting. He predicts more collaboration between companies and more mergers and acquisitions.

 

Stuart Evans of Plastic Logic - who is ink jet printing polymer transistor circuits in preproduction - is now chasing more than drive circuits for active matrix displays. A new development here is the recent funding by which Plastic Logic gains new routes to market. It will now pursue X-ray imaging in addition to the display drivers. Stuart seeks semiconducting inks for ambient processing with one centimeter squared per volt second mobility to gain higher frequency performance and, at a recent conference, Dr Ian Mc Culloch of Merck Chemicals showed that he is not far from getting them.

 

For more attend the conference Printed Electronics at Cambridge University UK April 19-20 www.printelec.com.