Large Area Manufacturing: Inks and Substrates

This lecture covers the materials used in large area manufacturing, including inks formulation with polymers and inorganic nanoparticles, printing techniques, conductive inks, curing processes, and substrate selection. It discusses the importance of viscosity in different printing techniques, the role of curing in ink stability, and the impact of sintering on nanoparticle-based inks. Case studies on Ag nanoparticles for conductors and substrate design for displays, RFID, and solar cells are presented. The lecture also explores examples of substrates suitable for large area manufacturing, emphasizing flexibility and compatibility with inks. Process flows for bottom-gated and top-gated thin-film transistors are discussed, highlighting the advantages and challenges of each approach.