Printed Electronics

Printed Electronics (PE) is an emerging field of science and technology for the production of electronic devices by  gravure, flexography, offset, screen and inkjet. PE promises not only to decrease the production cost of electronic devices but also to substantially enhance the integration of electronics in our daily lives. It has potential to impact every aspect of our daily lives e.g. lighting, energy harvesting, energy storage, packaging, advertising, display, computing. The Institute for Print and Media Technology at Chemnitz University (pmTUC) is actively involved in research related to traditional printing as well as PE. The story of PE started in our group in 2005 with the publication of roll-to-roll printed PEDOT:PSS based source/drain structures for transistors [1]. The first completely roll-to-roll printed integrated circuit, a ring oscillator consisting of 5 layers, was demonstrated in 2007 [2]. Last year our group has demonstrated the first 3D integrated circuits in the form of a stacked ring oscillator [3]. Recently, we have prepared completely roll-to-roll printed paper based solar cells [4].

[1] Polymer-based organic field-effect transistor using offset printed  
    source/drain structures. Appl. Phys.Lett. 87, 123508 (2005).
[2] Ring oscillator fabricated completely by means of mass-printing 
    technologies. Org. Electr. 8, 480 (2007).
[3] Three-dimensional integrated circuit using printed electronics. 
    Org. Electr. 12, 419 (2011).