STTR Phase I: Fabrication of Large-Area, High-Density Microdischarge Arrays on Flexible Substrates

这个小型企业技术转移(STTR)第一阶段项目计划开发一种在柔性基板上制造大面积、高密度微放电阵列的技术。微放电设备是一种光子发射器和探测器，其中弱电离等离子体被限制在空间尺寸，通常小于200微米。微放电装置和阵列具有在大气压下连续工作的能力，等离子体的比功率负载为每立方厘米几十千瓦。在拟议的项目中，为了评估微放电装置在这些应用中的全部潜力，将在大的、灵活的衬底上以更高的密度制造它们(与先前在实验室中演示的小阵列相比)。将开发用于沉积、图案化、充气和叠层的大面积加工技术。此外，还将探索用于上述步骤的卷到卷处理技术，这对批量应用特别有吸引力。在商业上，能够制造大面积、高密度微放电阵列的新技术的开发将使各种器件的构建成为可能，包括用于许多商业应用的柔性薄片光源，包括化学传感器、微显示器和大面积发射源。此外，如果使微放电像素可单独寻址，将有可能开发出柔性等离子体显示面板(PDP)。最后，通过使用卷对卷加工，这种设备可以经济地大量生产。这类设备非常适合需要便携性、一致性、坚固性和低成本的照明应用。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project proposes to develop atechnique for the fabrication of large-area, high-density microdischarge arrays on flexible substrates. Microdischarge devices are a type of photonic emitter and detector in which a weakly ionized plasma is confined to spatial dimensions typically less than 200 microns. Microdischarge devices and arrays have the ability to operate continuously at atmospheric pressures with specific power loadings of the plasma of several tens of kW per cubic centimeter. In the proposed project, in order to evaluate the full potential of microdicharge devices for these applications they will be fabricated in higher densities on large, flexible substrates (as compared to the small arrays that have been previously demonstrated in the laboratory). Large-area processing techniques for deposition, patterning, gas filling, and lamination will be developed. In addition roll-to-roll processing techniques for the above mentioned steps, which is especially attractive for volume applications will be explored.Commercially, the development of a new technology to enable the fabrication of large-area, highdensity microdischarge arrays would enable the construction of a wide variety of devices, including flexible sheet light sources for numerous commercial applications including chemical sensors, microdisplays, and large area emission sources. Further, if the microdischarge pixels are made to be individually addressable, it will be possible to develop a flexible plasma display panel (PDP). Finally, through the use of roll-to-roll processing, such devices could be manufactured economically in high volumes. Such devices would be ideal for lighting applications where portability, conformability, ruggedness, and low cost are required.