There has been much research in the field of organic and printed electronics (OPE), and LOPE-C 2012, hosted by OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association) in conjunction with Messe München International, opened its conference and exhibition yesterday, beginning with its first Plenary Session and followed by five concurrent tracks. These talks included numerous examples of the gains being made in the field, as well as new commercialization opportunities.

Wolfgang Mildner, managing director of PolyIC GmbH & Co.KG and OE-A board member and chairman of LOPE-C, opened the conference, and was followed by Dr. Thomas Skordas, DG Information Society & Media, European Commission, Head of Photonics Unit INFSO-G5, Belgium, who discussed “The European Horizon for Organic & Large Area Electronics.”

OE-A chairman Dr. Stephan Kirchmeyer of Heraeus Precious Metals GmbH & Co. KG followed Dr. Skordas’ talk with his discussion on “Organic and Printed Electronics: Status, Opportunities and Challenges.”

“There is a need to communicate to end users what the capacities of organic electronics are,” Dr. Kirchmeyer said. “There is also a need for short-term products that can create revenues. Hybrid solutions may also be necessary to realize products, such as organic electronics with silicon-based electronics or processing using printing with photolithography.”

Dr. Gisela Meister, chief technical officer for Giesecke & Devrient, then analyzed “Reliable Transactions – Security through Authenticity,” a look at cash and cashless transactions as well as government solution transactions.

Dr. Meister offered numerous examples where PE is in use, such as conductive patterns and thermochromic and optically variable inks combined with printed antennas on banknotes, as well as for contactless smart cards.

“Printed electronics are already in high-volume production,” Dr. Meister said. “PE and OE may offer enhanced features to support dynamic authentication.”

Prof. Dr. Toshihide Kamata, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology, Japan, closed the Plenary Session with his talk on “Horizontal and Vertical Approach to Printed Electronics.” Dr.Kamata discussed the collaborative style of industries for the development of printed electronics in Japan, as well as strategy on the development of printing techniques to open the markets.

Dr. Kamata noted that OPE is already in the market, and added that flexible displays, lighting, health care and sensor network devices are key new markets, and that a variety of industry groups are working on expanding =opportunities for OPE.

Afterward, the conference broke into five concurrent sessions. Track 1 covered the Business Conference. Tracks 2 and 3 featured the Technical Conference, and Tracks 4 and 5 the Scientific Conference.

There were plenty of highlights in these sessions. Track 1 included talks by Andrew Hannah, president and CEO, Plextronics, Inc., who presented a talk on “Driving Commercialization of OLED Lighting.” Dr. Dietrich Bertram, general manager, Philips Technologie GmbH, then discussed “Next Steps Towards Functional OLED Lighting.”

“The challenges facing the adoption of printing are the challenges any high-value emerging technology faces,” Hannah said. “They will be overcome. Scaling OLED display manufacturing is where the advantages of printing will be sought, while the benefits of low-cost lighting products will revolutionize indoor lighting.”

“OLEDs can produce bright white lighting like LEDs as well as warm white lighting like incandescent bulbs,” Dr. Bertram said. “They can be designed in any shape, as they don’t require emitters.”

However, lowering cost and improving efficacy is critical for OLEDs. “OLEDs have to deliver on these to make the promise of the technology real,” Dr. Bertram said, adding that improvements are constantly being developed.

In Track 2, Dr. André Arsenault, chief technology officer for Opalux Inc., discussed “Photonic Crystal Display Materials (P-Ink),” a look at Photonic Ink (P-Ink) based on electrically tunable photonic crystal, followed by Dr. Peter Slikkerveer, director innovations, MpicoSys – Embedded Pico Systems, who presented a talk on “The Technical Challenges of Display Cards and Display Labels.”

Opalux utilizes different voltages to create color, and can coat its materials on flexible substrates.

“We can create fully flexible color changing devices,” said Dr. Arsenault.

“New technologies need to be cost competitive and readily available now and in the future from multiple sources,” Dr. Slikkerveer noted. “It should also be usable in existing supply and manufacturing chains. The only exception is if the product is essential to the component and is the only alternative, such as ePaper.”

Dr. Slikkerveer questions some of the estimates of the size of the PE market, and said that the 3D printing industry offers a good example of how OPE should grow.

“3D printing started in an undefended niche market, and is now extending past its niche,” Dr. Slikkerveer said. “For OPE, we should find undefended niches. Let’s not try to do everything.”

In Track 3, Brendan Florez of Polyera discussed “Materials Development for Organic Transistors and Solar Cells,” analyzing the synthesis of new printable semiconductors. Prof. Iain McCulloch, Imperial College’s professor of polymer materials in the Department of Chemistry, analyzed “Design of High Performance Semiconducting Polymers for Organic Electronics.”

“We are making good progress, and have confidence in the future of the industry,” Florez said.

Track 4 featured presentations by Kyle Braam, University of California, Berkeley (“Development and Characterization of an Air-Stable Printed Silver-Zinc Battery”); Dr. Joana Fonseca, researcher at CeNTI
(“Photo-Cured Electrolytes for Low-Cost, Printable and Flexible Electrochromic Devices”); Cláudia Costa, YDreams/FCT-UNL (“Inkjet Printing of Electrochromic Materials on Plastic and Paper-Based Electrodes for Electrochromic Devices”); Francisco Molina-Lopez, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) (“Printed Temperature and Humidity Sensors on Paper”); and Cheng-Chian Yu, National Chung Cheng University (“A Novel Liquid Iris Based on Electrowetting Technology”).

Track 5 included talks by Dr. Michael Toerker, Fraunhofer Institut für Photonische Mikrosysteme, on “Transparent OLEDs for Signage and Decorative Lighting Applications;” Dr. Mahmut Kus, Selcuk University, on “Color Tunable Polymer Hybrid Light Emitting Diodes;” Dr. Georg Gotz, researcher at Holst Centre/TNO, on “Technologies and Materials for Electrodes in Large Area OLEDs;” Dr. Jolke Perelaer, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, on “Inkjet Printing of Conducting Polymers for OLED Applications;” and “Electro-optical Study of a White OLED Device Based on Carbazole/Oxadiazole POC Co-Polymer,” by Dr. Tiziana Di Luccio of ENEA.

After lunch, there were a number of interesting presentations. Track 1 offered talks by Eric Snoeckx, director open innovation and networking, Johnson & Johnson, who looked at “The Integration of Printed Electronics in the Pharmaceutical Industry,” including potential solutions and integration of printed electronics.

Snoeckx noted that opportunities for organic and printed electronics (OPE) include patient adherence, cold chain management, sensors, eLabels, smart packaging and track and trace.

Using patient adherence as his example, he said that the cost of patients not taking their medication, changing their diet or their lifestyle that was recommended by the health care provider was estimated at $300 billion in the U.S. in 2009.

“What can I find at the intersection of OPE and our research?” Snoeckx asked, adding that OPE components can provide real time date transfer and communication and real time clinical outcomes and compliance data from the patient.s

Michael Londo of MeadWestvaco followed with “Identifying a Technology to Meet a Market Need,” followed by Torgrim Takle, chief financial officer and chief strategist for Thin Film Electronics ASA, who discussed “Commercialization of Printed Memories and Integrated Systems.”

Londo discussed MeadWestvaco’s Natralock with Siren Technology, its new security packaging system it developed with Vorbeck Materials, Western Michigan University and Alpha High Shrink Solutions. By using grapheme-based inks, the company has created packaging that has conductive traces inside the box, rather than obtrusive security systems that obscure the outside packaging.

Londo noted that the requirements of the packaging was that it was cost competitive to other solutions, and needed to run 200 feet per minute on roll-to-roll systems. It also had to be robust, could not disrupt existing supply chains and be sustainable.

“We developed an effective security solution, and advances in conductive ink technology played a key role,” Londo concluded.

Takle noted that there are a number of opportunities for Thinfilm’s Memory Everywhere systems. The first is pricing, where electronic shelf labels can provide dynamic pricing. Interactive packaging is another good opportunity, as is monitoring of food and pharmaceutical products.

“Interactive packaging adds functionality and differentiation, while printed tags and labels can improve the safety of food and pharmaceutical products as well as reduce waste,” Takle said. “We see unique and disruptive cost-performance advantages for printed temperature tags.”

Dr. Wolfgang Clemens, head of applications, PolyIC GmbH & Co. KG, covered “Touch Solutions Based on Flexible and R2R Produced Metal Mesh Sensors.” Dr. Wilfried Loevenich, head of R&D (Conductive Polymers Division) for Heraeus Precious Metals GmbH & Co. KG, closed Track 1 with his talk on “The New Market for Conductive Polymers: Touch Screens.”

Track 2 featured talks on Lighting and OPV. Dr. Fabien Lienhart, OLED substrate project leader Saint-Gobain Recherche, covered “Substrates for OLED Lighting Enabling High Efficacy Commercial Device.” Prof. Seunghyup Yoo, associate professor at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), analyzed “Enhancing Outcoupling Efficiency of OLEDs: Opportunities from Conductive Low-Index Layers.”

Dr. Domagoj Pavicic, customer project manager/senior scientist, Novaled AG, analyzed “White PIN OLEDs with Enhanced Outcoupling Efficiency by Crystallizing Organic Layers.”

Dr. Birger Zimmermann, Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE, discussed “Application-Specific Layout and Dimensioning of Organic Solar Cells,” and Dr. Jonathan Halls, chief technology officer, Solar Press Ltd., covered “Advances in OPV Processing and Cost Reduction.”

Dr. Halls noted that the price of silicon recently fell to $24/kg, more than 90% lower than the 2008 peak of $400/kg, which has led to strong competition.

“The competitive environment for OPV is becoming tougher,” said Dr. Halls. “Flexibility and low weight remain key benefits, but OPV must deliver a far lower cost solution to expand beyond niche applications. Device materials and machinery companies need to work together to reduce costs.”

Track 3 covered a wide range of topics. “Transfer Printing of Silicon for Pervasive Electronics” was the topic for Dr. Jayna Sheats, chief technology officer for Terepac Corp. Dr. Conor Rafferty, MC10, Inc., director of technology development for MC10, Inc., discussed “Conformal Electronics for Health and Fitness,” a look at thin flexible silicon. Dr. Marc Koetse, project leader, smart packaging group, Holst Centre/TNO, gave his talk on “Smart Systems, Integration of Classic and Plastic Electronics on a System Level.”

Martin Schoeppler, FUJIFILM Dimatix’s CEO and president, discussed “How Can Digital Materials Deposition with Inkjet Enable Printed Electronics?” Thomas Kolbusch, vice president, Coatema Coating Machinery GmbH, covered “Printing, Coating and Hot Embossing Equipment and Processes for Large Area Printed Electronics.” Juergen Kreis, director business development Aixtron SE, closed Track 3 with his presentation on “Carrier-Gas Enhanced Vapor-Phase Deposition: Disruptive Approach or complementary Production Technology for Advanced Organic Electronic Devices.”

Track 4 included talks by Dr. Mathias Borella of Ceradrop (“Towards a Workflow and Tools Dedicated to Inkjet for Printed Electronics”); Moritz Schaefer, Fraunhofer ILT (“Comparison of Laser Ablation of Transparent Conductive Materials on Flexible and Rigid Substrates”); Dr. Ari Alastalo, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (“Conductor Grids for Large-Area Optoelectronic Devices: Evaluation of Printing Technologies and Performance Comparison”); Dr. Alexander Colsmann, head of Organic Photovoltaics Group, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (“Solution Processed and Laser Structured Silver Electrodes for Organic Solar Cells”).

Track 4’s late afternoon session included a talk by Dr. David Fyfe, executive vice president of Liquid X Printed Metals, who discussed “Deposition by Printing of Metals with Enhanced Properties.”

“Demonstration of an Improved Stretchable and Thermoformable Silver Paste for Capacitive Switch and Flexible Functional Electronics” was presented by Vince Arancio, DuPont (UK) Ltd.’s senior technical specialist. Arancio was followed by Canan Başlak, Institute of Educational Sciences/Selcuk University, whose topic was “Gradient and Homogenous CdTeSe Alloys as Inks for Device Fabrication.” Dr. Michael Grouchko of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem closed Track 4 with his talk on “Copper Ink-Jet inks for Flexible and Plastic Electronics.”

Track 5 included talks by Dr. Ronn Andriessen, program nanager organic photovoltaics, Holst Centre (“Towards Low Cost, Efficient and Stable Organic Photovoltaic Modules”); Jifan Li, chief technology officer, Nano and Advanced Materials Institute Limited (“Printable Transparent Conductive Films and its Application in Organic Solar Cell”); Dr. T.M. Watson, SPECIFIC, Swansea University (“Rapid Processing Technologies for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells”); Alexander Lange, Fraunhofer IAP (“Using Inkjet Printing to Deposit Solar Cell Functional Layers”).

Also presenting in Track 5 were Ralf Zichner, Fraunhofer ENAS (“Research on Screen Printed Copper UHF RFID Transponder Antennas for Book Tagging”); Miao Li, researcher at Tampere University of Technology (“Organic Diodes for RF Energy Harvesting”); Abdelwahhab Yakoub, engineer, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de St-Etienne, Centre Microélectronique de Provence, (“High Efficiency of Low-cost Spiral Antennas for RFID, Fully Printed by an Inline Inkjet Process”); and Dr. Anne-Patricia Alloncle, CNRS – Aix Marseille University (“Laser Printing of Silver Nanoparticle Inks.”