SBIR Phase II: High Speed Laser Crystallization of Aluminum Doped ZnO Nanoparticles for High Performance Transparent Conductors

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力在于降低320亿美元触摸屏模块市场的制造成本，并消除稀土金属铟的使用。触摸屏模块应用于手机、电脑、销售点终端等显示产品。现有的生产触摸屏模块透明导电膜的方法工艺步骤多，产量低。通过使用更快的工艺和大大减少工艺步骤，该方法使触摸屏传感器薄膜的生产成本降低了80%。第二阶段项目将进一步发展该工艺，以生产大面积的图案传感器薄膜，并与规模良好的制造设备集成。分析表明，该工艺所需新设备的资本支出回收期将在一年以下。成本的降低使毛利率增加了50%，并使触摸屏模块的美国制造成为可能。这个小企业创新研究二期项目将开发高速激光结晶（HSLC）在玻璃上印刷铝掺杂氧化锌（AZO）纳米颗粒层，以取代触摸面板行业的氧化铟锡（ITO）。多年来，触控面板的ITO层溅射沉积一直是行业标准。溅射ITO需要昂贵的真空系统，在ITO沉积期间生长速度缓慢。此外，触摸屏传感器需要昂贵的图案使用缓慢和昂贵的光刻工艺步骤。铟是一种稀土材料，用于多个大批量市场，其价格波动很大。第二阶段的研发将专注于生产图案化的AZO薄膜和大面积的工作原型，其性能值高于行业标准的触摸薄膜，预计成本结构低于目前大规模生产的能力。HSLC在节能环境条件下迅速将纳米颗粒转化为具有优异性能的晶体薄膜。该工艺具有高通量、高效率、高光传输率、低成本等优点。技术成果还将推动可印刷电子产品在其他应用和市场的发展。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project lies in reducing manufacturing costs in the $32 billion touchscreen module market and eliminating use of the rare-earth metal, Indium. Touchscreen modules are used in mobile phones, computers, point-of-sale terminals, and other display products. Existing methods to produce the transparent conducting film in touchscreen modules require many process steps and have low throughput. . By using much higher-speed processes and greatly reducing the number of process steps, this method enables 80% cost reduction in production of touchscreen sensor films. The phase II project will further develop the process to produce patterned sensor films over large areas and integrate with equipment that scales well to manufacturing. Analysis shows that the payback time on capital expenditure for new equipment required by the process will be under one year. Cost reductions enable gross margin increases of 50% and make US-based manufacturing of touchscreen modules feasible.This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will develop high speed laser crystallization (HSLC) of printed aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanoparticle layers on glass to replace indium tin oxide (ITO) for the Touch Panel Industry. Sputter deposition of ITO layers for touch panels has been the Industry standard for many years. Sputtered ITO requires costly vacuum systems with slow growth rates during ITO deposition. In addition, touchscreen sensors require expensive patterning using slow and costly photolithography process steps. Indium is a rare-earth material used in multiple large volume markets which has experienced high price volatility. R&D in Phase II will focus on producing patterned AZO films and working prototypes over large areas with a figure of merit higher than industry standard touch films with a projected cost structure lower than what is currently capable in large volume manufacturing . HSLC rapidly converts nanoparticles into crystalline films with superior properties at energy efficient ambient conditions. The advantages of this environmentally benign process include high throughput, high efficiency, high optical transmission, and low cost. Technical results will also advance printable electronics for other applications and markets.