Printable Electronics and Their Applications

Printable Electronics is a promising technology that will enable the manufacturing of ubiquitous and low cost electronic devices, which covers from simple printed conducting lines, resistors, capacitors, to OLEDs, OFETs, OPV, and memory cells. More complicated electronic circuits can be formed using these basic building blocks to perform logic, sensing, human-machine interaction, and control functions. In the past 5 years, this field has gone through a cycle from low to hype, and back to reality. In this talk, I will introduce the research activities on the development of printed flexible electronics under NRC’s Printable Electronics Flagship Program. I will analyze the pros and cons of the printed electronic devices, their potential applications as well as some important issues in the printing processes.