EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Large Area Electronics

Completed

Not Energy Related
Energy Efficiency(Industry)

Basic and strategic applied research

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Physics)
PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Mr C Rider
UNLISTED
Cambridge Photon Technology

Standard

EPSRC

01 October 2013

28 June 2019

69 months

£5,627,158

Manufacturing

East of England

Manufacturing : Manufacturing

Mr C Rider, UNLISTED, Cambridge Photon Technology

Dr T Anthopoulos, Department of Physics (the Blackett Laboratory), Imperial College London
Professor D C Bradley, Department of Physics (the Blackett Laboratory), Imperial College London
Professor TC Claypole, Engineering, Swansea University
Dr DJ Curtis, Engineering, Swansea University
Dr AJ Flewitt, Engineering, University of Cambridge
Professor DT Gethin, Engineering, Swansea University
Professor A Holmes, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London
Professor A Nathan, Engineering, University of Cambridge
Professor KC Persaud, Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, University of Manchester
Professor H Sirringhaus, Physics, University of Cambridge
Dr P Stavrinou, Department of Physics (the Blackett Laboratory), Imperial College London
Dr N Stingelin-Stutzmann, Materials, Imperial College London
Professor ML Turner, Chemistry, University of Manchester
Professor PR Williams, Engineering, Swansea University
Professor SG Yeates, Chemistry, University of Manchester

Project Contact, National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
Project Contact, Nokia Research Centre
Project Contact, Molecular Vision
Project Contact, De La Rue International Ltd
Project Contact, Oxford Lasers Ltd
Project Contact, SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre
Project Contact, Solvay S.A., Belgium
Project Contact, RK Print Coat Instruments Ltd
Project Contact, Pragmatic Semiconductor Limited
Project Contact, 3M United Kingdom PLC
Project Contact, Merck Sharpe And Dohme
Project Contact, Eight19 Ltd
Project Contact, SABMiller plc
Project Contact, Cambridge Display Technology Ltd
Project Contact, Merck and Co Inc, USA
Project Contact, DSTL - Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
Project Contact, CPI Ltd
Project Contact, Plastic Logic Ltd
Project Contact, Dow Corning Ltd

Large-Area Electronics is a branch of electronics in which functionality is distributed over large-areas, much bigger than the dimensions of a typical circuit board. Recently, it has become possible to manufacture electronic devices and circuits using a solution-based approach in which a "palette" of functional "inks" is printed on flexible webs to create the multi-layered patterns required to build up devices. This approach is very different from the fabrication and assembly of conventional silicon-based electronics and offers the benefits of lower-cost manufacturing plants that can operate with reduced waste and power consumption, producing electronic systems in high volume with new form factors and features. Examples of "printed devices" include new kinds of photovoltaics, lighting, displays, sensing systems and intelligent objects. We use the term "large-area electronics" (LAE) rather than "printable electronics" because many electronic systems require both conventional and printed electronics, benefitting from the high performance of the conventional and the ability of the printable to create functionality over large-areas cost-effectively. Great progress has been made over the last 20 years in producing new printable functional materials with suitable performance and stability in operation but despite this promise, the emerging industry has been slow to take-off, due in part to (i) manufacturing scale-up being significantly more challenging than expected and (ii) the current inability to produce complete multifunctional electronic systems as required in several early markets, such as brand enhancement and intelligent packaging. Our proposed Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Large-Area Electronics will tackle these challenges to support the emergence of a vibrant UK manufacturing industry in the sector. Our vision has four key elements:- to address the technical challenges of low-cost manufacturing of multi-functional LAE systems- to develop a long-term research programme in advanced manufacturing processes aimed at ongoing reduction in manufacturing cost and improvement in system performance.- to support the scale-up of technologies and processes developed in and with the Centre by UK manufacturing industry- to promote the adoption of LAE technologies by the wider UK electronics manufacturing industryOur Centre for Innovative Manufacturing brings together 4 UK academic Centres of Excellence in LAE at the University of Cambridge (Cambridge Integrated Knowledge Centre, CIKC), Imperial College London (Centre for Plastic Electronics, CPE), Swansea University (Welsh Centre for Printing and Coating, WCPC) and the University of Manchester (Organic Materials Innovation Centre, OMIC) to create a truly representative national centre with world-class expertise in design, development, fabrication and characterisation of a wide range of devices, materials and processes

13/03/13