The field of printed electronics is clearly evolving, and it is interesting to hear the perspective of people who have long been involved in the field. From time to time, Printed Electronics Now will interview some of the leaders in the field, and present their viewpoints.
 
This week, we spoke with Dr. Jeremy Burroughes, FRS FREng, the new chairman of the OE-A and CTO of Cambridge Display Technology Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Chemical Corporation., Ltd.
 
Dr. Burroughes has been in the organic electronics field for 30 years, beginning with his research into DNA wires at Queen Mary University of London. While working on his PhD on organic polymers for transistors and electrical devices at the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge, Dr. Burroughes discovered the electroluminescent capabilities of these polymers.
 
Armed with patents and seed money from Cambridge Research and Innovation Ltd., Cambridge Display Technology Limited, or CDT, came into being in 1992, with the goal of developing polymer OLEDs (P-OLEDs), focusing on solution processing technology. Dr. Burroughes joined the company in 1997 as its CTO. In 2007, CDT was acquired by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd, and is now primarily focused on material development and device integration for a range of printed electronic applications.
 
Printed Electronics Now:How has the printed electronics industry evolved in recent years?
 
Dr. Jeremy Burroughes:The PE industry has gone through its hype cycle, and now we are seeing a lot more focus on realistic products rather than just concentrating on replacing silicon.  Now we see companies developing hybrid systems that use silicon chips as part of their process. As a result, there is a lot of interest from end user companies, and we are starting to see some traction. For example, at CDT, we have seen a lot of interest in our low cost printed flexible OLED applications. We are at a point where growth is steady as it goes, rather than chasing the hype.
 
Printed Electronics Now:What are the key advancements that have allowed for these changes to occur?
 
Dr. Jeremy Burroughes:Focusing on real applications has been key. For example, in OLEDs, the ability to make low cost printed OLEDs with brilliant color using solution processing techniques has excited customers. The ability to make professional prototypes rather than putting something together in the lab has been important. There has been continued investment over time and patient investors are putting in the effort and working with end users. We know that organic materials can be used, and printing works well where it makes sense, often through a hybrid approach.
 
Printed Electronics Now:What are the technical hurdles that need to be overcome to move PE forward?
 
Dr. Jeremy Burroughes:The goal is to solve engineering and supply chain issues and bring in new end users. A lot of the hurdles now come down to engineering. The key is to be able to invest in manufacturing. There will always be improvements made in formulations and materials, but achieving improved processed yields is critical.
 
Printed Electronics Now:Where do you see the field of printed electronics heading, say, 10 years from now?
 
Dr. Jeremy Burroughes:Printed electronics is a catch-all for lots of projects, and there are a lot of different directions in which PE can head. If we keep up the steady pace, 10 years from now printed electronics could be everywhere. If the Internet of Things takes off, printed electronics should fit in very nicely. There will be a need for energy harvesting and generating electricity; sensors also have a lot of growth opportunities. There is a plethora of applications for OLED displays.
 
Printed Electronics Now:How is the OE-A helping to advance the field, and what are your goals for the OE-A?
 
Dr. Jeremy Burroughes:The OE-A’s Roadmap has helped the industry, and LOPEC is the flagship of the OE-A bringing together the industry. LOPEC is growing significantly. The smaller working group meetings are great networking events, bringing people together to talk and building up new potential collaborations.
 
The OE-A is working well, but we shouldn’t sit back; we now have to expand the OE-A membership further and hence our OE-A team, so that it can work together with our members in areas such as working project groups and enhance their effectiveness.