Roll-to-roll Laser and Printing Processes for Double Sided Printed Electronic Systems

To improve the potential application opportunities of roll-to-roll flexible printed electronics, improved system integration and area reduction of hybrid systems is possible using two-sided functional carrier foils. These double-sided circuits, and systems, on flexible substrates can have multiple functional layers, such as conductive or semiconductive materials, on both sides. This study aimed to increase the density and complexity of the hybrid systems, while reducing the material and processing costs. The focus was on three main tasks: roll-to-roll (R2R) via laser cutting and filling, R2R etching of two-sided indium tin oxide (ITO)/polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and a double-sided ITO system backplane for organic photovoltaic (OPV) integration. Critical parameters for choice of Ag layer thickness, interconnection pitch and additional via filling need to be considered in the system design phase to improve manufacturing efficiency.