Green Energy-Optimised Printed ICs

Lead Research Organisation: University of Glasgow
Department Name: College of Science and Engineering

Abstract

The "tsunami of electronic waste", which reached more than 53.6 million tonnes in 2019, requires a step-change in the design and fabrication of electronics for disposal, reuse or recycling. The problem is exasperated as during the manufacture of electronics, a significant amount of chemical waste is generated as by-products, and the combined impact of by- and end-products are leading to long term environmental and social damage that will outlast many generations. The issue is growing due to the increasing use of ICT devices which will become more embedded within society. Electronics underpins a lot of these technologies (internet of things (IoT), displays (including VR/XR), smart packaging, etc.) and offers an opportunity to the e-Waste issue by realising electronic systems that inherently have end-of-life (cradle to cradle) solutions built in and thus do not require the same complexity of waste management. As a sector, electronics underpins the growth of vertical sectors (e.g., health, aerospace, manufacturing and retail) and thus drives productivity and growth across virtually all sectors of the UK economy. According to Innovate UK's 'Electech sector' roadmap report, the electronics sector employs >1 million people in the UK in >45k businesses, generating revenue of around £100 billion. The enormous economic potential for end products is backed by authoritative forecasts, e.g., IDTechEx predicts a market for large area electronics of >73 billion USD by 2027. Sustainable electronics is, therefore, central to the UK's future economy, environment, security and society. To this end, a disruptive printed electronics manufacturing platform is imperative that is designed for sustainability but maintains the enabling power and stability of traditional electronics, thus can eventually supplant those traditional electronic formats. The ambition of GEOPIC (Green Energy-Optimised Printed Transient ICs) is to develop one of the world's first high-performance (at par with today's silicon-based electronics) ICs and assemblies, which, at the end of life, will physically disappear/degrade at prescribed times into eco-friendly or reusable end-products. Thus, GEOPIC will achieve the step-change needed towards zero waste. The demonstrator devices and circuits will attain performances that are at par with today's silicon-based electronics but can demonstrate biodegradability, enabling the safe disposal of materials, potentially for reuse. The project will address the urgent need for sustainability in advanced manufacturing as well as help alleviate the problem of electronic waste (e-waste). Thus, GEOPIC will achieve the step-change needed towards zero waste.
 
Description Presentation at DHSC on eWaste
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
Impact DHSC plan to prepare a report by Summer 23 with actions to start in Autumn 23
 
Description A Proactive Approach to the Recovery and Recycling of Photovoltaic Modules (APOLLO)
Amount £499,000 (GBP)
Organisation European Commission 
Sector Public
Country European Union (EU)
Start 01/2024 
 
Description Automated Nano AnaLysing, characterisatiOn and additive packaGing sUitE (ANALOGUE)
Amount £3,076,010 (GBP)
Funding ID EP/Y015215/1 
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2024 
End 01/2027
 
Description KTP with Epredia
Amount £250,000 (GBP)
Organisation Innovate UK 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2022 
End 10/2024
 
Description KTP with quantum science
Amount £250,000 (GBP)
Organisation Innovate UK 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 02/2023 
End 02/2025
 
Description UK-Graft
Amount £2,100,000 (GBP)
Organisation Innovate UK 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 05/2024 
End 05/2025
 
Description Colloboration with Acceleronix 
Organisation Accelonix
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Establishments of a packaging laboratory to demonstrate to partners and provide proof of concepts
Collaborator Contribution Provided in-kind contributions to the team and enhanced networking opportunities
Impact Led to collaboration with a company and the subsequent award of an InnovateUK grant
Start Year 2023
 
Description Colloboration with Inseto 
Organisation Inseto UK Ltd
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Development of a semiconductor packaging laboratory to show demonstrations
Collaborator Contribution Support of maintenance/consumables
Impact Established further colloborations Supported the award of an EPSRC Grant - ANALOGUE
Start Year 2023
 
Description Colloboration with Minviro 
Organisation Minviro
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Development of LCA for semiconductors - providing data and testing models; currently preparing two papers based on this. We submitted an InnovateUK grant to further this work, which was awarded
Collaborator Contribution Providing access to their bespoke software, supporting a grant application
Impact Success of an InnovateUK grant application
Start Year 2024
 
Description Colloboration with Quantum Science 
Organisation Quantum Technology Sciences
Country United States 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Established a collaboration around photodiodes
Collaborator Contribution Provide support for their photodiode development
Impact Led to the support of a PhD and KTP
Start Year 2022
 
Description Course given on Sustainable electronics 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact I undertook a three-part course at the UNESP University in Brazil. Participants included undergraduate students, postgraduate students, members of the public colleges and the general public
each part consisted of one half hour lecture followed by a 30 minute practical seminar
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Delivery of a Webinar for IMAPS 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact I presented a one hour seminar on 'sustainable electronics' to be semiconductor packaging community in the UK
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Delivery of outreach at Hillhead primary school 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Shoushous Zhang (a researcher aligned with the project) undertook outreach by participating in the school science day, demonstrating the importance of sustainable energy
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Innited presentation at eFutures conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited presentation on 'sustainable electronic manufacturing' at an eFutures event
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Interview for Nature article 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Interview for "nature outlooks" on an article called "Short-circuiting the electronic-waste crisis"
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-03647-y
 
Description Invited presentation at IMAPS - Paignton 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presentation on "reducing the environmental footprint of electronics"
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Organisational of workshop with C ENSIS/user engagement forum for GEOPIC project 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Organised station of the workshop to identify challenges within the sustainable electronics industry
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://censis.org.uk/2023/02/27/sustainable-electronics-workshop-application-form/
 
Description Organisational of workshop with CENSIS/user engagement forum for GEOPIC project 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact We undertook the oragisation of a Sustainable Electroncis semianr at the ARC in Glasgow. This was a one-day event to highlight the challenges in sustainability within the electronics sector. We have speakers from industry and academia and University of Glasgow
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Presentation at EMPC - Gothenburg - European Microelectronics and Packaging Workshop 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presentation on Biodegradable electronics
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Presentation at Engineers with Borders (EWB) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact Around 80 students attended a presentation on Sustainable and Biodegradable electronics
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Presentation at IEEE SUSTECH Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Jeff Kettle presented work on life cycle assessment of semiconductor electronics devices
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Presentation at Innolae 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Jonathan Harwell and Diego Diaz presented work at Innolae conference in Cambridge
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Presentation at SBPMat 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Jeff Kettle presented at SBPMat (The Brazilian MRS) an invited talk
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Sustainable electronics lecture 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact I undertook a lecture and course on sustainable electronics to engineering students at the University of Glasgow as an optional element to their "Consumer Electronics" course
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Webinar for the KTN on Sustainable Photonics 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact I presented a seminar organised by the electronic sensors and Photonics KTN on sustainability challenges in the sector. My talk was around 20 mins long and was complimented by 3 talks from indsutry
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023