Printing complex electronic circuits using a patterned hydrophobic layer
First Claim
1. A circuit comprising:
- a substrate;
a first material overlying the substrate and patterned to define first openings;
a plurality of separate groups of pre-formed, semiconductor electrical devices that have been mixed in a first solution, deposited over the substrate, and cured,each group containing a plurality of substantially identical electrical devices connected in parallel within each group, the electrical devices being randomly distributed within each group on the substrate,wherein the first material prevents wetting by the first solution such that the first solution resides only within the first openings, resulting in each group of the substantially identical electrical devices being defined by the first openings in the first material;
an interconnection conductor pattern that is programmable to interconnect at least some of the groups together to achieve an electrical function;
one or more input terminals for supplying an input signal; and
one or more output terminals for supplying an output signal, wherein the input signal is transformed by the electrical devices after the interconnection conductor pattern is programmed, and the transformed signal is output at the one or more output terminals.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A programmable circuit includes an array of printed groups of microscopic transistors or diodes. The devices are pre-formed and printed as an ink and cured. A patterned hydrophobic layer defines the locations of the printed dots of the devices. The devices in each group are connected in parallel so that each group acts as a single device. Each group has at least one electrical lead that terminates in a patch area on the substrate. An interconnection conductor pattern interconnects at least some of the leads of the groups in the patch area to create logic circuits for a customized application of the generic circuit. The groups may also be interconnected to be logic gates, and the gate leads terminate in the patch area. The interconnection conductor pattern then interconnects the gates for form complex logic circuits.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A circuit comprising:
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a substrate; a first material overlying the substrate and patterned to define first openings; a plurality of separate groups of pre-formed, semiconductor electrical devices that have been mixed in a first solution, deposited over the substrate, and cured, each group containing a plurality of substantially identical electrical devices connected in parallel within each group, the electrical devices being randomly distributed within each group on the substrate, wherein the first material prevents wetting by the first solution such that the first solution resides only within the first openings, resulting in each group of the substantially identical electrical devices being defined by the first openings in the first material; an interconnection conductor pattern that is programmable to interconnect at least some of the groups together to achieve an electrical function; one or more input terminals for supplying an input signal; and one or more output terminals for supplying an output signal, wherein the input signal is transformed by the electrical devices after the interconnection conductor pattern is programmed, and the transformed signal is output at the one or more output terminals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for forming a circuit comprising:
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patterning a first material overlying a substrate to define first openings; depositing a first solution over the first material, the first solution containing pre-formed, semiconductor electrical devices, wherein the first material prevents wetting by the first solution such that the first solution resides only within the first openings; curing the first solution containing pre-formed, semiconductor electrical devices such that electrical terminals of the electrical devices electrically contact a first conductor layer overlying the substrate, the electrical devices located in each of the first openings forming groups of the electrical devices defined by the first openings in the first material, the electrical devices in each group being connected in parallel; and forming at least one conductor layer to enable interconnecting at least some of the groups to achieve an electrical function. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification