Functional Materials and Devices

Demonstrator | Printed organic thin-film solar cells (OPV)

Our module consists of four printed organic thin-film solar cells, each with an area of 15 x 15 cm². The flexibility in form and design makes them particularly attractive for energy-efficient building. Beyond that, there are also almost unlimited possibilities for use. All processes are scalable, so that inexpensive mass production of the modules is possible.

Contact: Dr. Armin Wedel | Dr. Christine Boeffel

Demonstrator | Cadmium-free quantum dots

Quantum dots (QDs) are inorganic nanoparticles that have very special properties due to their small size. The luminescence is narrow-banded and can be adjusted over the entire colour spectrum. QDs have a wide range of applications and are used in many areas: as highly efficient light converters or brilliant light sources in displays, as light sources for illumination and as specific markers in sensor technology. 

Our specialization are cadmium-free quantum dots, which are less problematic for the environment and humans. These are based on indium and zinc. 

Contact: Dr. Armin Wedel

Demonstrator | QD-LEDs

We develop quantum dots (QDs) as emitters in displays and light sources. The QDs are directly electrically excited, the light source previously required to excite fluorescence is no longer necessary. Our innovative optoelectronic devices combine the advantages of OLEDs with the outstanding lighting properties of quantum dots: QD LEDs have the uniform light pattern, the paper-thin structure and the efficient operation of an OLED. At the same time, the wavelength of the light is freely adjustable and very narrow-banded.

Contact: Dr. Armin Wedel | Dr. Yohan Kim

Demonstrator | Lighting technology from the printer: OLEDs

We develop organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) for ambient lighting and signage applications. OLEDs have a uniform luminance over the entire active surface. The result is a clear and distinct luminous image that is easily visible from any viewing angle. For ambient lighting applications, the active surface can have almost any geometrical shape.

Contact: Dr. Christine Boeffel | Dr. Manuel Gensler

Demonstrator | AM-OLED

Liquid processing is a new trend in the production of OLED displays. According to the current state of the art, OLED materials are still mostly applied by vapor deposition processes. However, much material is lost on shadow masks and other surfaces. With printing processes, on the other hand, the ink can be applied specifically to the active pixel areas. A material efficiency of up to 90 % is possible for an RGB display. 

However, high-resolution displays are a challenge for printing processes. The smallest technically realised drop size in piezo-based inkjet printing is approximately 1 pL. This means that RGB displays can be printed at a maximum of 240 ppi. This is sufficient for television sets. For smartphones and microdisplay applications, however, a resolution of at least 500 ppi is required.

Contact: Dr. Armin Wedel | Dr. Christine Boeffel

Demonstrator | Liquid Processed OLED without vaporisation steps

In liquid-processed OLEDs, the extremely thin layers are applied by printing technologies. This eliminates the otherwise usual vapor deposition processes. Cost-intensive vacuum systems are not required. Liquid-processed OLEDs are a current trend in the production of displays. Here, the three active dyes (emitters) in red, green and blue are applied in a structured manner by inkjet or ESJET printing. However, all other layers, which are the same for all three dyes, are still applied by vapour deposition. 

We are developing OLEDs which can be produced without any vaporisation processes. OLEDs processed in this way still have a lower efficiency than their conventionally produced models. On the other hand, the investment costs are significantly lower, so that even small quantities can be produced economically. Furthermore, the printing processes can be adapted quickly and flexibly to changes in layout and form. Therefore, completely liquid-processed OLEDs are initially interesting for signage and advertising purposes.

Contact: Dr. Christine Boeffel | Dr. Manuel Gensler

Demonstrator | Particle-free silver complex ink for inkjet printing

With a transparent complex ink, precise circuits of silver can be applied by inkjet printing. The ink is not particle-based, which on the one hand improves printability and on the other hand allows the processing of thinner layers by a lower loading of silver (< 5 %). Thermal curing is carried out at low temperatures (approx. 130 °C), which allows curing not only on glass (right) but also on sensitive surfaces such as foil or paper (left).

Contact: Dr. Manuel Gensler

Contact: Dr. Andreas Holländer

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OUR RANGE OF SERVICES

OLEDs

• Tailor-made OLEDs for demonstrators and prototypes (e.g. for keyboards, signage, advertising, security applications)
• Customer-specific development of applications with OLEDs
• Process development: ink development, ITO-free OLEDs, transparent electrodes, flexible substrates, OLEDs without vacuum processes, process parameters
• Determination of the barrier properties of substrates and encapsulation (calcium level test)
• Encapsulation - rigid and flexible
• Thin film encapsulation (Atomic Layer Deposition, ALD)
• Tests of OLED materials, development and optimisation of OLED stacks
• Complete solution for OLED production through comprehensive expertise from the technology network GOTA - German OLED Technology Alliance

Quantum dots (QD)

• Development and synthesis of QDs with customised properties
• Customer-specific development of applications with QDs: display technology, photovoltaics, LEDs and biology
• Process development: ink development, mixing in plastics and photoresists, specific application to proteins and sugars, process parameters
• QD-LEDs (optimisation of QD-LED stacks, production of components)
• QD Photovoltaics
• QD colour filter

Fluorescence collectors

• Development of fluorescence collectors for solar technology with fluorescent dyes and quantum dots
• Visible spectral range
• NIR area

Solar cells

• Customer-specific development of solar cells based on organic materials and perovskites - from single cells to application modules
• For energy self-sufficient systems
• Process development: ink development, process parameters

Electroluminescent displays

• Prototype development for electroluminescent displays in sheet-to-sheet and roll-to-roll processes

Consulting and training

• Process development, process equipment, process training
• Consulting for development projects (infrastructures)
• Further education and training

Plagiarism protection

• Development of recipes for the protection against plagiarism of organic materials and products made from them

Surface and thin film technologies

• Development of surface and thin film technologies for and with polymers
• Surface treatment with low-pressure plasma, VUV radiation
• Functionalisation of surfaces with gases and liquids

Contract analysis

• Surface analysis (XPS, contact angle, profilometry, AFM, sheet resistance)
• Climate tests (ambient: 23 °C/50 % r.h., tropical 38 °C/90 % r.h., accelerated 60 °C/90 % r.h., humid heat 85 °C/85 % r.h. or free on request)
• Photophysical characterisation of materials (UV/Vis, fluorescence, EQE - external quantum efficiency, time-resolved luminescence)
• Material properties (TGA - thermogravimetric analysis)

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OUR EQUIPMENT

Thin Film Technologies

• Plasma CVD (Chemical vapour deposition), laboratory to roll-to-roll
• PVD (steaming, sputtering)
• Spin-coating (inert and in atmosphere)

Printing Technologies

• Ink Jet Printing (Pixdro LP50 inert and atmospheric, Dimatix, up to DIN-A4)
• ESJET Printing (pilot plant for high-resolution printing)
• Squeegee (Erichsen Coatmaster 510 with heatable table up to DIN-A4)
• Slot die Coating (on Coatema Easy Coater for coating for formats up to 300 x 300 mm² and Mathis Slit Coater for formats up to 150 x 150 mm²)
• Silkscreen
• Roll-to-roll gravure printing
• Pad printing

Process tools

• Laminating unit for the encapsulation of rigid and flexible carriers
• ALD (Beneq TFS 200 for formats up to 150 x 150 mm², thermal and plasma)
• Steaming

Surface Technology

• Various plasma systems, from laboratory scale to roll-to-roll in 30 cm width
• VUV excimer spotlight for 3D parts and roll-to-roll in 30 cm width
• Roll-to-roll system in 30 cm width with corona and printing technology for functionalising surfaces
• Metallization equipment

Special measuring techniques

• Visual
  • Hamamatsu Quantum Yield Measurement System
  • FLS920-stm (Edinburgh Instruments) with option for time-resolved measurements in the ns and µs to ms range (TCSPC, MCS)FT-IR Nexus 470 Thermo Scientific
    • Transmission 400 – 4000 cm^-1
    • ATR 650 – 4000 cm^-1
  • FT-IR IS20 Thermo Scientific
    • Transmission 400 – 7500 cm^-1
    • Pike Gladiator ATR 525 - 7500 usable up to 200 °C; ramps and measuring intervals programmable

• Electrical
  • Spectroradiometer for OLED characteristics (Konica-Minolta CS-2000)
  • 4-point measuring station for measuring film resistances

• Microscopy
  • AFM (Nanosurf Easyscan 2)
  • 3D profilometry (Bruker Dektak XT)

• Chemical
  • Functional group analysis on surfaces with XPS
  • Thermogravimetry (Mettler Toledo TGA 2)
  • Fluorescent labelling

• Further
  • Calcium measuring station to determine the water vapour transmission through barrier layers
  • Determination of OLED lifetime (BoTest)
  • Measurement of solar cell characteristics (AM1.5)
  • Measurement of work function (Riken Keiki AC-2)

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PRESS RELEASES, LINKS & DOWNLOADS    

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