The use of organic semiconducting materials other than silicon is a key development for the commercialisation of printed electronic components such as sensors, displays, and functional transistors, according to a report by Research and Markets.
Printed electronics is expected to reduce the cycle times and cost structures of the semiconductor industry due to the use of high-volume commercial manufacturing such as inkjet printing.
According to the market analyst, printing of both organic and inorganic semiconductors is taking place using techniques such as inkjet, lithography, and gravure, while flexographic and screen printing are likely to feature in the future mix of low-cost manufacturing techniques.
"Eventually, the expensive R&D cycles in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) wafer-based systems will give way to simplified materials processing and large area electronics manufacturing," said the analyst.
"This is due to the elimination of lithographic masks and economic custom design for small orders and low-volume production," they added.
However, it is thought that printed electronics components have a long way to go before they can be manufactured using conventional presses. Products are likely to be in liquid or semi-liquid form, covering the substrate in patterned layers.
Reduction in the cost and weight of the products can be achieved only if electronics circuitries are printed on thin substrates, allowing them to have ubiquitous application in displays, sensors, lighting, and communication devices.
“While there has been tremendous progress in the development of organic conductive/semiconductive/di-electric chemistries, products, and processes, the focus needs to shift to developing printable logic and complementary circuits similar to those of CMOS wafer-based systems, which were originally meant to be replaced,” said the analyst.
“There is definitely a trade-off between the high volumes that can be achieved using standard printing presses and the limited resolution of these techniques with regard to silicon microelectronic fabrication. Therefore, silicon technology is likely to continue to dominate applications that require fast switching and complex processing, whereas the lower cost/area ratio of printed electronics is expected to be more suitable for less sophisticated applications,” added the analyst.