Topic 3: Information Systems TechnologyOrganic Electronics

Dan RuISYM-540-P07/16/2009

Organic Electronics

• Also named: plastic/polymer electronics

• “Organic” = carbon-based• Traditional conductor: copper or silicon• Benefits:

lighter, more flexible, and less expensive • Application markets:

OLED Displays, OLED Lighting, RFID Tags, OTFT Backplanes, TFPV/Organic Photovoltaic, and Sensors

History

• 1977, discovery and development of highly-conductive polymers “polyacetylene”

• 2000, Nobel Prize in Chemistry• Alan J. Heeger• Alan G. MacDiarmid• Hideki Shirakawa

• 1990s, plastic electronics on thin and flexible plastic substrates was developed– Cambridge University’s Cavendish Laboratory

Features

Categories• Semiconductors• Dielectrics• Conductors • Light emitters

Applications• Printed Electronics• Smart windows• Electronic paper• Solar cell

Printed Electronics

• A set of printing methods used to create electrically functional devices

• “Functional inks” carbon-based compounds• Material:

• plastic, ceramic, silicon • Organic/Inorganic/Hybrid

• Low-cost, low-performance electronics:• flexible displays• smart labels• decorative and animated posters• active clothing.

Smart Glass

• Application: windows or skylights• Control the amount of light and heat passing through

with the press of a button• Electrically switchable technologies:

• Electro-chromic devices• Suspended particle devices• Polymer dispersed liquid crystal devices

• Benefits:• Save cost for lighting, heating, air-conditioning• Block UV rays• Provide privacy

Smart Glass

Electronic Paper

• Mimic ordinary ink on paper• No back-light, reflects light • Holding text/images indefinitely without

drawing electricity• Allowing image to be changed later• Light, flexible, durable, non-fading• Comfortable to read, can be read in direct

sunlight

Organic Solar Cell• Also named:

plastic solar cell,organic photovoltaic cell (OPVC)

• Inexpensive organic polymers instead of expensive crystalline silicon

• Light absorption and charge transport• High absorption coefficient • Low efficiency, low stability and low strength• Types of POVC:

• Single layer• Multi-layer• Dispersed hetero-junction

Future of Organic Electronics

Forecast 2027: $330 Billions market