Strategic and Customisable Ultrashort Laser Processing of Transistors (SCULPT)

Today a clear market opportunity for low to medium volume but high value display applications is poorly served by high volume Far Eastern manufacturers. The development and production of new display designs using active matrix backplanes are inhibited by high up-front costs and long lead times, mainly due to the several photolithography masks required. In this proposal the consortium aims to replace these masks by patterning the active matrix backplanes using novel direct write laser technology benefiting from the recent advances in industrially robust ultrafast Diode-Pumped Solid-State lasers and associated fast beam scanning devices. In order to unlock this technical route, two major technical challenges will be addressed: high speed, high reliability via drilling technology and high resolution thin layer patterning for transistor electrodes. The integration of the two key processes within the Plastic Logic proprietarory active matrix backplane technology will enable the flexibility and customisation of plastic electronics to specific applications such as truly flexible smart watch and interiors displays for automotive and aerospace.