Final Report Summary – SMARTONICS (Development of smart machines, tools and processes for the precision synthesis of nanomaterials with tailored properties for Organic Electronics)
Executive Summary:
Organic Electronics (OEs) is a rapidly emerging field that is expected to revolutionize conventional Electronics, Energy and Photonic applications. Some of the most important OE applications include flexible OPVs, OLEDs for displays & lighting, TFTs, sensors and biosensors, thin film batteries, and RFIDs to name but a few.
Smartonics (www.smartonics.eu) is a key EU Large Scale Project (FP7-NMP.2012.1.4-1 Pilot lines for precision synthesis of nanomaterials) with ambitious targets to revolutionize the Organic and Printed Electronics Industry in Europe. Its objectives are the following:
• Development of smart Nanomaterials for OEs (polymer & small molecule films, plasmonic NPs and super-barriers) by process and computational modeling optimization.
• Development of smart Technologies that include R2R printing and OVPD machines combined with precision sensing metrology tools as in-line Spectroscopic Ellipsometry and Raman Spectroscopy, and precision fabrication tools as R2R inkjet printing and in-line ultra-fast pulsed laser tools and processes.
• Integration of Nanomaterials & Technologies in unique Pilot lines for precision synthesis of Nanomaterials & OE devices (OPVs), optimization, demonstration and evaluation for Industrial applications.
Smartonics has developed three unique pilot to production lines to cover Europe’s needs in Industrial leadership in Organic and Printed Electronics. These pilot lines are the following:
• R2R printing Pilot line, which will combine optical sensing (SE, RS), inkjet printing and laser processing tools
• OVPD Pilot line equipped with in-line optical sensing tools (SE, RS)
• S2S Pilot line for the precision fabrication of OE devices (e.g. OLEDs, sensors from state-of-the-art Nanomaterials) and for the evaluation of encapsulation of these devices. The above will be up-scaled in Industrial processes.
The Smartonics consortium consists of 18 European partners (Universities, Companies and Organisations). The partners cover the fields of nanomaterials & process development and optimization (AUTh, POLO, UOP, UOI, UOXF, USUR, CNRS, USTUTT, HZB, Advent, OL, CSEM), precision sensing and fabrication tools (HJY, AUTh, OL, COM, OET), industrial processes (COA, AIXTRON) and manufacturing of commercial products (CRF).
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