Patterning glass coatings

Patterning glass coatings with picosecond lasers

Indium–tin oxide (ITO) has been commonly used in flat panel displays and organics-based electronics as a transparent electrode. The conventional photolithographic method of making patterns involves multiple processes, including wet chemical etching. Laser direct write (LDW) is the technology which competes in patterning of ITO.

It is a maskless, dry process performed under ambient conditions, replacing numerous photolithographic process steps with one laser ablation operation.

The well defined edges and good electrical isolation at a short separation between conductor lines are required for the modern OLED and RFID devices. Sharp edges of the ablated lines are, especially, important when the distance between the conductor lines shrinks down to 10 µm. Organic electronics devices are thin film structures with the total thickness of active films in the range of 100 nm. Therefore, ridges on edges can cause short-circuits in OLED devices or reduction in the working longevity and efficiency of the devices. Various types of pulsed lasers were examined for ITO ablation. A highest quality was achieved by ultra-fast laser pulses with reduced generation of residues. A well defined localization of laser energy is crucial for any high quality removal of a thin layer from the substrate.

AFM picture illustrates groove etched on the ITO film using Atlantic Series picosecond laser [1].

Read more: [1] G. Raciukaitis et al. Patterning of indium–tin oxide on glass with picosecond lasers

Patterning glass coatings with picosecond lasers

Indium–tin oxide (ITO) has been commonly used in flat panel displays and organics-based electronics as a transparent electrode. The conventional photolithographic method of making patterns involves multiple processes, including wet chemical etching. Laser direct write (LDW) is the technology which competes in patterning of ITO.

It is a maskless, dry process performed under ambient conditions, replacing numerous photolithographic process steps with one laser ablation operation.

The well defined edges and good electrical isolation at a short separation between conductor lines are required for the modern OLED and RFID devices. Sharp edges of the ablated lines are, especially, important when the distance between the conductor lines shrinks down to 10 µm. Organic electronics devices are thin film structures with the total thickness of active films in the range of 100 nm. Therefore, ridges on edges can cause short-circuits in OLED devices or reduction in the working longevity and efficiency of the devices. Various types of pulsed lasers were examined for ITO ablation. A highest quality was achieved by ultra-fast laser pulses with reduced generation of residues. A well defined localization of laser energy is crucial for any high quality removal of a thin layer from the substrate.

AFM picture illustrates groove etched on the ITO film using Atlantic Series picosecond laser [1].

Read more: [1] G. Raciukaitis et al. Patterning of indium–tin oxide on glass with picosecond lasers

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