David Savastano, Editor02.17.10
Many companies are leveraging their expertise into the field of printed electronics (PE). In some cases, start-ups have developed new technologies that have much promise. In other cases, major international companies are utilizing their expertise to develop their own innovative products and services.
Sun Chemical Corporation is among the leading international companies making headway into the PE space. As the leading global printing ink manufacturer as well as one of the world’s largest pigment producers, Sun Chemical has extensive experience in the ink and printing processes, as well as contacts among major brand owners and printers. The company is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based DIC Corporation, itself a leader in liquid crystals for LCD displays, as well as inks, coatings and engineering materials for electronic applications. In addition, Sun Chemical is a major player in the fields of etch resists and solder masks.
With all of this experience, it was natural that Sun Chemical would be dramatically increasing its investments in the PE field. Today, the company is well positioned in the area of metallization systems and conductive inks.
As part of its efforts, Sun Chemical opened up a state-of-the-art 3,000 square foot cleanroom in its Carlstadt, NJ research center in mid-2009, where it is producing and testing PV solutions in a controlled environment for its customers. As a result, Sun Chemical has been able to vastly improve the conductivity of its metallization pastes and inks, and is strongly emerging into the PV market.
While much of this work is currently focused on photovoltaics and the development of enhanced performance front side and back side metallization materials for crystalline silicon solar cells. Work is also under way for polymer based silver, dielectric and graphite formulations for Thin Film and OPV.
Roy Bjorlin, director, global product manager electronic materials for Sun Chemical, said that the technology is also applicable to display technology.
“There is a convergence between the materials technology for PV and displays,” Bjorlin said. “PV and displays share much of the same core materials technology and can eventually translate to consumer products. We can drive the demand back from the consumer by enabling more functionality.”
One of Sun Chemical’s major advantages is its expertise in printing and its vast network of contacts with brand owners. Bjorlin believes that consumer facing convertors and label manufacturers will significantly help drive growth in PE. Consumers are more interested in what PE can do for them and not as concerned about areas such as inventory control which may partly explain the slow growth of RFID.
“We have access to a significant customer base, as we supply some of the major international companies, and the companies that represent the consumers will drive the business,” he said. “We are already partnered with the best consumer facing leaders in packaging and printing, and they know what their customers want. Consumers may not be interested in RFID for inventory control, but integrate printed antenna to portable electronics and to touch screens, and it is a different matter. The technology is out there, but it has to enable functionality to the consumer.”
In order to best serve its customers, Sun Chemical built an Electronic Materials R&D center including a cleanroom, complete with state-of-the-art testing equipment, to produce and evaluate its materials. Dr. Philippe Schottland, director, global electronic materials technology for Sun Chemical, said the cleanroom has been critical in Sun Chemical’s efforts to enhance its product performance.
“Our cleanroom opened in 2009, and was built over 18 months,” Dr. Schottland said. “We have 3,000 square feet of actual clean room space, and expansion capabilities for another 3,000 square feet. It gives us the ability to formulate ink, print, dry, co-fire and test electrical performance of the finished devices using state-of-the-art characterization tools. It simulates the environmental conditions our customers are targeting.
“Our learning curve has been much faster as a result of the cleanroom,” Dr. Schottland added. “You can formulate a paste that prints really well and shows excellent bulk conductivity, but if you can’t properly measure and optimize how it functionally interacts with the solar wafer, you could have 2 percent efficiency instead of 17. Having the right development tools in-house really shortens our development cycle for Printed Electronics applications regardless of the printing process used. Our cleanroom integrates both contact and non-contact printing capabilities. For non-contact printing, we are leveraging our relationships with equipment suppliers such as inkjet printhead manufacturers and system integrators and working closely with companies introducing emerging technologies. For example, we are one of the few if not the only ink manufacturer with an Optomec aerosol deposition system.”
“The new clean room is state-of-the-art,” Bjorlin added. “Sun Chemical is creating performance and process based metallization and material sets which improve our customer’s process, and we bring a commitment to research to support that. We have brought the best people together and facilities capabilities with an eye toward raw material research and development.”
Sun Chemical has set up teams of researchers to work on metallization systems.
“We have a dedicated team to produce our electronic materials,” Dr. Schottland said. “We have labs in Midsomer Norton in the UK, in St. Charles, IL, and in Carlstadt, NJ. We are hiring on the commercial and technical sides, and we anticipate doubling the size of our team this year.”
PV is one area of great interest for Sun Chemical. Dr. Schottland noted that traditional crystalline solar cells have three different metallization systems: an aluminum back surface paste, a silver tabbing paste and a front contact silver metallization paste.
“You have to be able to develop pastes that work synergistically with the wafers in a consistent manner,” Schottland said. “Quality is so important, especially when companies have metallizations lines that are producing a cell every 1.5 seconds.”
There are important trends in PV, most notably the use of thinner wafers.
“Typically, the industry standard is 200 microns, but it is going to 160 microns in Asia,” Bjorlin said. “One major issue is bowing.
“Bowing of the cells could lead to micro-cracking or breakage,” Dr. Schottland added. “As PV cells become thinner, there will also be a shorter optical path, ie. less thickness to absorb sunlight, so we are developing aluminum pastes that have demonstrated significantly lower bowing and enhanced reflectivity.”
Dr. Schottland said that differences in efficiency observed between R&D and production lines with thin film solar technologies such as CIGS, and OPVs will be answered over time, as research improves the raw materials and processes.
“Back in the 1970s, crystalline silicon used for outer space applications was half the efficiency it is today for terrestrial applications,” he said. “In CIGS and OPV, it is possible to produce very controlled deposition conditions in R&D, but production at higher speed presents more challenges. Thin Film Photovoltaic module manufacturers and equipment suppliers have been working very hard on developing processes to close the gap between champion data in R&D and actual production results. The success that First Solar has demonstrated with CdTe technology with a module production capacity that will exceed 1GW in 2010 is an inspiration for all the players in Thin Film photovoltaics including materials suppliers. We are committed to supporting the efforts of our customers in thin film applications and are developing materials to help them improve efficiency and reduce the cost per Watt of their modules. For example, we have developed a set of inkjettable dielectric and conductive materials for application in CIGS solar cells and continue to improve performance such as line resolution, adhesion and low contact resistance to transparent conductor layers such as ITO.”
Display technologies are another major opportunity for PE, and Sun Chemical is particularly well positioned in this segment.
“Point-of-purchase (PoP) displays for example is an interesting field for us,” Dr. Schottland said. “We are very well connected with printers and brand owners. As we see more and more people interested in the new generation of displays, we can help them blend graphic arts and electronic materials.”
Its experience in printing inks and printing makes Sun Chemical an integral partner with its PE customers.
“We are leveraging our years of expertise in contact and non-contact printing, including screen, flexo, gravure, sheetfed/web offset and inkjet as well as specialty coating technologies such as roll, spray, curtain and slot-die coating,” Dr. Schottland said. “We are experienced in fine line and high speed printing. We have 40 years of experience in the circuit industry, in etch resists and solder masks. Over time, we have built the broadest range of printable etch resists in the industry for circuit and photovoltaic applications.
“Sun Chemical and our parent company, DIC Corporation, have expertise in materials and technologies related to PE,” Dr. Schottland added. “DIC has been deeply involved in PE, whether it is being the third-largest producer of liquid crystals for LCD displays, providing enabling materials to print LCD color filters, to dielectrics and conformal coatings used in cell phones or epoxy resins, adhesives and sealants used in various electronic and semiconductor packaging applications. DIC is also involved in the development of materials for photovoltaic modules including barrier and light management coatings, adhesive and anchor layers for PV backsheet applications. In addition, DIC has developed an in-depth expertise in the field of high performance organic thin film transistors using cutting edge printing methods and have demonstrated equivalent line and gap resolution to traditional photolithography.”
Dr. Schottland also noted that Sun Chemical has developed significant relationships with universities.
“We have had successful collaborations with academic partners, whether it is access to testing equipment at Princeton University, Cambridge University for digital printing projects, or emerging technologies for displays like the work we are doing with Prof. Heikenfeld at the University of Cincinnati on electrowetting. We are also very proud of the relations we have developed with universities around the globe through our industrial internship programs which help us identify new talents and give them an opportunity to learn and contribute to our effort in the field of Electronic Materials,” Dr. Schottland said. “With all of our resources, we are emerging strongly in the market.”
“We know how to make inks,” Bjorlin concluded. “We are developing metallization systems with an eye toward future challenges, and we understand the complete metallization system, from particle up to application. It is an exciting field, and Sun Chemical really has its arms around it.”
With all of this experience, it was natural that Sun Chemical would be dramatically increasing its investments in the PE field. Today, the company is well positioned in the area of metallization systems and conductive inks.
As part of its efforts, Sun Chemical opened up a state-of-the-art 3,000 square foot cleanroom in its Carlstadt, NJ research center in mid-2009, where it is producing and testing PV solutions in a controlled environment for its customers. As a result, Sun Chemical has been able to vastly improve the conductivity of its metallization pastes and inks, and is strongly emerging into the PV market.
While much of this work is currently focused on photovoltaics and the development of enhanced performance front side and back side metallization materials for crystalline silicon solar cells. Work is also under way for polymer based silver, dielectric and graphite formulations for Thin Film and OPV.
Roy Bjorlin, director, global product manager electronic materials for Sun Chemical, said that the technology is also applicable to display technology.
“There is a convergence between the materials technology for PV and displays,” Bjorlin said. “PV and displays share much of the same core materials technology and can eventually translate to consumer products. We can drive the demand back from the consumer by enabling more functionality.”
One of Sun Chemical’s major advantages is its expertise in printing and its vast network of contacts with brand owners. Bjorlin believes that consumer facing convertors and label manufacturers will significantly help drive growth in PE. Consumers are more interested in what PE can do for them and not as concerned about areas such as inventory control which may partly explain the slow growth of RFID.
“We have access to a significant customer base, as we supply some of the major international companies, and the companies that represent the consumers will drive the business,” he said. “We are already partnered with the best consumer facing leaders in packaging and printing, and they know what their customers want. Consumers may not be interested in RFID for inventory control, but integrate printed antenna to portable electronics and to touch screens, and it is a different matter. The technology is out there, but it has to enable functionality to the consumer.”
“Our cleanroom opened in 2009, and was built over 18 months,” Dr. Schottland said. “We have 3,000 square feet of actual clean room space, and expansion capabilities for another 3,000 square feet. It gives us the ability to formulate ink, print, dry, co-fire and test electrical performance of the finished devices using state-of-the-art characterization tools. It simulates the environmental conditions our customers are targeting.
“Our learning curve has been much faster as a result of the cleanroom,” Dr. Schottland added. “You can formulate a paste that prints really well and shows excellent bulk conductivity, but if you can’t properly measure and optimize how it functionally interacts with the solar wafer, you could have 2 percent efficiency instead of 17. Having the right development tools in-house really shortens our development cycle for Printed Electronics applications regardless of the printing process used. Our cleanroom integrates both contact and non-contact printing capabilities. For non-contact printing, we are leveraging our relationships with equipment suppliers such as inkjet printhead manufacturers and system integrators and working closely with companies introducing emerging technologies. For example, we are one of the few if not the only ink manufacturer with an Optomec aerosol deposition system.”
“The new clean room is state-of-the-art,” Bjorlin added. “Sun Chemical is creating performance and process based metallization and material sets which improve our customer’s process, and we bring a commitment to research to support that. We have brought the best people together and facilities capabilities with an eye toward raw material research and development.”
Sun Chemical has set up teams of researchers to work on metallization systems.
“We have a dedicated team to produce our electronic materials,” Dr. Schottland said. “We have labs in Midsomer Norton in the UK, in St. Charles, IL, and in Carlstadt, NJ. We are hiring on the commercial and technical sides, and we anticipate doubling the size of our team this year.”
PV is one area of great interest for Sun Chemical. Dr. Schottland noted that traditional crystalline solar cells have three different metallization systems: an aluminum back surface paste, a silver tabbing paste and a front contact silver metallization paste.
“You have to be able to develop pastes that work synergistically with the wafers in a consistent manner,” Schottland said. “Quality is so important, especially when companies have metallizations lines that are producing a cell every 1.5 seconds.”
There are important trends in PV, most notably the use of thinner wafers.
“Typically, the industry standard is 200 microns, but it is going to 160 microns in Asia,” Bjorlin said. “One major issue is bowing.
Dr. Schottland said that differences in efficiency observed between R&D and production lines with thin film solar technologies such as CIGS, and OPVs will be answered over time, as research improves the raw materials and processes.
“Back in the 1970s, crystalline silicon used for outer space applications was half the efficiency it is today for terrestrial applications,” he said. “In CIGS and OPV, it is possible to produce very controlled deposition conditions in R&D, but production at higher speed presents more challenges. Thin Film Photovoltaic module manufacturers and equipment suppliers have been working very hard on developing processes to close the gap between champion data in R&D and actual production results. The success that First Solar has demonstrated with CdTe technology with a module production capacity that will exceed 1GW in 2010 is an inspiration for all the players in Thin Film photovoltaics including materials suppliers. We are committed to supporting the efforts of our customers in thin film applications and are developing materials to help them improve efficiency and reduce the cost per Watt of their modules. For example, we have developed a set of inkjettable dielectric and conductive materials for application in CIGS solar cells and continue to improve performance such as line resolution, adhesion and low contact resistance to transparent conductor layers such as ITO.”
Display technologies are another major opportunity for PE, and Sun Chemical is particularly well positioned in this segment.
“Point-of-purchase (PoP) displays for example is an interesting field for us,” Dr. Schottland said. “We are very well connected with printers and brand owners. As we see more and more people interested in the new generation of displays, we can help them blend graphic arts and electronic materials.”
Its experience in printing inks and printing makes Sun Chemical an integral partner with its PE customers.
“We are leveraging our years of expertise in contact and non-contact printing, including screen, flexo, gravure, sheetfed/web offset and inkjet as well as specialty coating technologies such as roll, spray, curtain and slot-die coating,” Dr. Schottland said. “We are experienced in fine line and high speed printing. We have 40 years of experience in the circuit industry, in etch resists and solder masks. Over time, we have built the broadest range of printable etch resists in the industry for circuit and photovoltaic applications.
“Sun Chemical and our parent company, DIC Corporation, have expertise in materials and technologies related to PE,” Dr. Schottland added. “DIC has been deeply involved in PE, whether it is being the third-largest producer of liquid crystals for LCD displays, providing enabling materials to print LCD color filters, to dielectrics and conformal coatings used in cell phones or epoxy resins, adhesives and sealants used in various electronic and semiconductor packaging applications. DIC is also involved in the development of materials for photovoltaic modules including barrier and light management coatings, adhesive and anchor layers for PV backsheet applications. In addition, DIC has developed an in-depth expertise in the field of high performance organic thin film transistors using cutting edge printing methods and have demonstrated equivalent line and gap resolution to traditional photolithography.”
Dr. Schottland also noted that Sun Chemical has developed significant relationships with universities.
“We have had successful collaborations with academic partners, whether it is access to testing equipment at Princeton University, Cambridge University for digital printing projects, or emerging technologies for displays like the work we are doing with Prof. Heikenfeld at the University of Cincinnati on electrowetting. We are also very proud of the relations we have developed with universities around the globe through our industrial internship programs which help us identify new talents and give them an opportunity to learn and contribute to our effort in the field of Electronic Materials,” Dr. Schottland said. “With all of our resources, we are emerging strongly in the market.”
“We know how to make inks,” Bjorlin concluded. “We are developing metallization systems with an eye toward future challenges, and we understand the complete metallization system, from particle up to application. It is an exciting field, and Sun Chemical really has its arms around it.”