Printed electronics could realise IoT 'omni-connectivity'

Wolfgang Mildner, LOPEC General Chair and Vice Chairman Europe, Organic and Printed Electronics Association (OE-A), explains the state of the art technology and the topics of the LOPEC Conference. 

LOPEC stands for Large-Area Organic & Printed Electronics Convention. What sectors are already using large-area printed electronics?

Several sectors of industry are already very active in this field. For example, some displays in consumer electronics are now printed. The automotive sector uses printed antennas and printed sensors, and the packing industry uses the technology to make packaging more innovative and interactive.

What is used to print electronics, and what are they printed on?

Electronics are typically printed on foils made of polyester or other plastics. Paper is more interesting for packaging, but even here the electronics is printed onto films first and then laminated to the paper. Organic materials were the most commonly used materials until a few years ago, but now inorganic substances and even metals are also used. The most important factor is that the materials can be processed in the printing and coating process.

In what ways can this technology still be improved?

To answer this question, we would have to look at the entire value chain, but let's stick to the materials. For example, if I want to manufacture transistors, I need a material set that also includes semiconductors. So-called p-type semiconductors that have an electron deficiency are typically used in printed electronics. But one might also prefer n-type semiconductors, which have an excess of electrons. Then one could combine p-type and n-type semiconductors and realise faster and more stable circuits. That would really cause a boost in performance. There were also significant developments in silicon technology when doping made it possible to produce p-type and n-type semiconductors. We're just not quite there yet in printed electronics.

How is Germany positioned in the market for printed electronics?

When it comes to displays and Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs), Asian companies were very quick to move into applications, but Germany is positioned fairly well in manufacturing and marketability. That is what Dr. Marc Lünnemann, Managing Director of Osram OLED, will demonstrate in his plenary session on OLEDs at the LOPEC Conference. He will present a good example of the fact that Germany is not only a technology supplier, which we are known for and in demand, but that it also uses the machines and processes to manufacture products.

Will topics from research and development also be discussed at the LOPEC Conference?

Yes, of course. We will examine the entire value chain at the conference, from material research and processes, to applications in various branches of industry. For example, there was a material innovation that caused a sensation at last year's fair: i.e. perovskites, which are actually minerals that we have known about for quite some time. Until now, they were not used in printed electronics. However, now a number of companies have published some outstanding results. At the LOPEC Conference, Dr. David Fyfe, who is Chairman of Oxford Photovoltaics, will take a discriminating look at perovskites and outline their current status by focusing on solar cells. Like every year, the conference program will be put together by an international committee.

Will the conference emphasise specific focal points?

Besides technical highlights such as materials, we will take a close look at applications. That is what LOPEC participants are interested in the most. One of the conference's main focal points is flexible, wearable electronics. Beyond that, Dr. Tom Taylor from England's Centre for Process Innovation will report on applications that he is developing together with customers. His presentation deals with consumer goods and how printed electronics on products can support logistics. We have also invited Michael Petersen from the Canadian company IMC to speak in the plenary session on smart packaging. He deals with interactive pharmaceuticals packaging. They register when a pill is removed from the packaging and then forward the information to the physician, for example.

How far has smart packaging developed so far?

There are already pilot programs. Michael Petersen recently showed me packaging samples of this type, and the technology is really impressive. Of course, he is still struggling with various aspects because all of the functions cannot yet be realised using printed electronics. In the past, people would wait until the technology was ready. But they don't wait anymore. Instead, they combine printed electronics with conventional components such as silicon chips. These hybrid approaches are an exciting field that will also be represented at LOPEC.

The LOPEC Conference is divided into three blocks, i.e. business, technology and science.

Yes, and the plenary session on smart packaging and other main themes form the overall framework. The scientific conference primarily addresses the scientific community, and the technical conference primarily gives companies a chance to report on their innovations. This part is more product oriented, but it's not an advertising block. Instead, companies explain what problems they have run into during development and how they solved them. In my opinion, the most important highlights for the industry are the Business Conference, which takes place one day before the exhibition, and the Start-Up Forum, where young companies can present their business ideas.

What is on the agenda at the Business Conference?

We will mainly discuss whether it is already possible to conduct business using printed electronics and what ideas are driving the industry. The Business Conference also starts with an exciting plenary session: Dr. Davor Sutija, CEO of Thin Film Electronics in Oslo, will discuss the IoT. How can I address any object and communicate with it as part of a network? The vision of networking everything with everything has been around for years, and now it can be realised with printed electronics.

The conference program will have nearly 200 presentations. Do you have a personal highlight?

Personally, I think that the applications for the automotive sector are especially fascinating. Printed electronics are giving rise to entirely new design possibilities featuring intelligent sensor-based surfaces. A representative of Continental will hold a practice-oriented lecture from the users' point of view. The idea is to no longer use push buttons to operate controls in the cockpit, but instead using curved, illuminated shapes that the user touches and that guide the user better than conventional buttons. Touch displays are a central topic at LOPEC anyway, because the printed electronics sector has already made a great deal of progress in this area.