Large area, high resolution, dry printing of conducting polymers for organic electronics

We show here that thermal imaging, a nonlithographic technique which enables printing multiple, successive layers via a dry additive process can be used in combination with tailored printable conductors in the fabrication of organic electronic devices. This method is capable of patterning a range of organic materials at high speed over large areas with micron size resolution and excellent electrical performance avoiding the solvent compatibility issues currently faced by alternative techniques. Such a dry, potentially reel-to-reel printing method may provide a practical route to realizing the expected benefits of plastics for electronics. We illustrate the viability of thermal imaging and imageable organics conductors by printing a functioning, large area (4000 cm(2)) active matrix backplane display circuit containing several thousand transistors. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.