Flexible substrate with electronic devices formed thereon

• US 7,964,507 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2010
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Tredwell, Timothy J., Kerr, Roger S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thao P.
• Application Number:
  US12/697,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20100136777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 438/691
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1218 with a particular composition or structure of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1262 with a particular formation, treatment or coating of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78603 characterised by the insulating substrate or support H01L29/78657 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/111 Flexible substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an electronic device (10) provides a substrate (20) that has a plastic material. A particulate material (16) is embedded in at least one surface of the substrate. A layer of thin-film semiconductor material is deposited onto the substrate (20).

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an electronic device comprising:

a) providing a substrate that comprises at least one plastic material;

b) embedding a particulate material preferentially in at least one surface of the substrate;

c) applying a planarization material that preferentially bonds to the particulate material to the surface of the substrate having the embedded particulate material, forming a planarization layer thereby; and

d) forming a thin film electronic device on said surface with said particulate material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said electronic device comprises one or more thin film transistors.

3. A method of manufacturing an electronic device comprising:

a) providing a substrate that comprises at least one plastic material as a base substrate;

b) coating a composition material onto at least one surface of the base substrate, wherein the composition material comprises at least one plastic binder material and at least one particulate material, forming at least one coated surface thereby; and

c) forming a thin film electronic device on said at least one coated surface.

4. A method of manufacturing an electronic device comprising:

a) providing a substrate that comprises at least one plastic material and at least one particulate material;

b) conditioning at least one surface of the substrate to increase the proportion of particulate material to plastic material at that surface; and

c) forming a thin film electronic device on said at least one conditioned surface.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein conditioning at least one surface comprises chemical removal of the plastic material at the surface.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein conditioning at least one surface comprises removal of plastic material at the surface by plasma etching.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein conditioning at least one surface comprises removal of plastic material at the surface by heating.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein conditioning at least one surface comprises removal of plastic material at the surface by exposure to supercritical CO2.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein conditioning at least one surface comprises removal of plastic material at the surface by laser ablation.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein conditioning at least one surface comprises removal of plastic material at the surface by thermal decomposition in a vacuum.

11. The method of claim 4 wherein conditioning at least one surface comprises removal of plastic material at the surface by corona discharge treatment.

12. A method of manufacturing an electronic device comprising:

a) providing a substrate that comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and at least one particulate material; and

b) forming a thin film electronic device on at least one surface of said substrate.

13. A method of manufacturing an electronic device comprising:

a) providing a substrate that comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), at least one other plastic material, and at least one particulate material; and

b) forming a thin film electronic device on at least one surface of said substrate.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one other plastic material is polyimide.

14. A method of manufacturing an electronic device comprising:

a) providing a substrate comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and at least one particulate material;

b) laminating said substrate to a carrier; and

c) forming an electronic device on the substrate.

15. A method of manufacturing an electronic device comprising:

a) providing a substrate comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), at least one particulate material, and at least one other plastic material;

b) laminating said substrate to a carrier;

c) forming an electronic device on the substrate; and

d) delaminating the substrate containing the electronic device from the carrier.