Organic electronics use organic polymers or tiny molecules to manufacture electronic components for numerous novel application areas in the electronic manufacturing sector. Organic electronic materials are more affordable, lighter, and flexible than traditional inorganic electronics made of silicon. Organic electronics require fewer resources during creation, usage, and disposal and are more energy-efficient.
Vacuum-based deposition techniques are commonly used to deposit thin films of organic materials onto the substrate surface to create small molecule organic circuits. Conductive polymers can be converted into organic electronics using inexpensive solution processing techniques. Electronic circuits can be printed directly onto big sheets of plastic by making semiconductor polymers soluble and turning them into ink. These materials can be produced using large-area, roll-to-roll manufacturing techniques and quickly scaled up for cheaper, more efficient production.
This article will share organic electronics in the electronic manufacturing sector.
Comparison between characteristics of Organic Electronics vs. Inorganic Electronics in the Electronic Manufacturing Sector
Organic Electronics
- reduced costs
- simple process
- flexible substrates
- large area
- small integration density
- high switching times
- reduced performances
Inorganic Electronics
- high manufacturing costs
- complex process
- rigid substrates
- small areas
- extremely high density
- switching times minimal
- high performances
Usage of Organic Electronics in the Electronic Manufacturing Sector
The inorganic (non-carbon-based) semiconductors that form the basis of many of today’s computer processors have long outperformed semiconducting polymers and tiny molecules electrically. However, because of ongoing research and development, organic semiconductors now have enough performance to start being commercialized in novel and intriguing applications. In addition, organic semiconductors’ chemistry can be changed in ways that are not conceivable with substances like silicon. For example, it is possible to make organic semiconductors soluble and use them to create ink. This implies that electronic printing circuits are feasible, with the capacity to produce parts as quickly as printing newspapers. These circuits can also be made flexible because they are built on plastic materials, meaning that rigid boxes are no longer necessary.
The following three examples show how organic electronics are already changing technology utilization.
The use of organic display technology in the Electronic Manufacturing Sector
A plastic or other substrate, two electrodes (such as indium tin oxide), and one or more layers of organic and hybrid material (either tiny molecules or polymers) are used to construct organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). OLEDs produce their light via electroluminescence. Hence they do not require backlights, in contrast to other display technologies, which need them for the display to be seen. As a result, they are more energy-efficient and consume less electricity than backlight-dependent display technologies.
In several Samsung and other smartphone models, OLEDs have already achieved widespread commercialization. A sizable percentage of the worldwide smartphone market is occupied by the Samsung Galaxy range of OLED-based devices.
Additionally, the subsequent releases of big-screen OLED TVs from Samsung and LG Electronics have been announced. In addition to being more impressive than current TV technology in terms of vivid colors and striking contrasts, the new TVs are anticipated to be lighter, slimmer, and more energy-efficient.
The use of Organic Photovoltaics (OPVs) in the Electronic Manufacturing Sector
While not necessarily a replacement for silicon-based PVs, organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are also known as organic solar cells. They are generally thought of as one of the most exciting near-future applications of organic electronics due to the variety of unique uses that they can be put to. These include large-area coverage, low cost, and flexibility. However, industry-scale repeatability is a significant obstacle to increasing the output of solar cells. At the intersections of materials that gather light and materials that convey electrical current, chemical, and physical interactions are crucial for solar energy harvesting.
Both organic-organic and organic-inorganic interactions are possible. Engineers can create interfacial structures that drive energy conversion even more effectively than current devices as chemical scientists develop a better knowledge of the processes at these different interfaces. According to some studies, organic solar cells will eventually achieve conversion efficiencies of 15-20%, although present OPV technology claims conversion efficiencies that exceed 10%, even reaching 12 percent.
The use of Transistor Technology in the Electronic Manufacturing Sector
Transistors are a crucial “building block” of modern electronic devices since they function as on-off switches or signal amplifiers. Transistors come in a wide variety of varieties. Typically, organic field effect transistors are used in transistors (OFETs). The most significant distinguishing feature of OFETs over silicon transistors is their flexibility. Because OFETs can be produced at or close to room temperature, they make it possible to create integrated circuits on flexible substrates like plastic that otherwise couldn’t resist the high temperatures required to produce silicon-based devices. In addition, OFETs are an excellent choice for biomedical sensors and other devices that interface with biological systems since they are also susceptible to particular physical and chemical substances.
Chemists have increased the charge-carrier mobilities for small-molecule OFETs from 1 cm 2/Vs in 2000 to 8-11 cm2/Vs in the present with the synthesis of novel organic compounds. At first, the increased mobilities could only be attained in ultrahigh vacuum chambers with immaculate conditions. Recent research points to the possibility of fabricating high-performance OFETs using straightforward and reasonably priced methods, such as solution processing. By 2020, mobilities could reach 100cm 2/Vs thanks to synthesizing increasingly sophisticated materials. Similar to small-molecule OFETs, polymer OFETs have also improved in performance, with typical mobilities rising from about 0.01 cm2/Vs in 2000 to more than 1.0-3.0 cm2/Vs in 2010. Despite this development, several obstacles remain to how OFETs become a widely accepted commercial reality.
Summing up about Organic Electronic in the Electronic Manufacturing Sector
For the development and commercialization of organic electronics, chemistry research is essential. After all, chemists are the ones who synthesize and functionalize the organic materials utilized in technologies like organic solar cells, OLED smartphones, and other products that are either already on the market or in the development stage. These devices wouldn’t exist if those materials didn’t exist. In addition to providing the initial raw materials, chemists are crucial in increasing the performance of those materials over time. A deeper understanding of how these materials function when incorporated into electronic systems will be gained through further study. This should eventually lead to polymer-based OFETs that perform even better.
