SBIR Phase I: Scratch Repair Kit for Indium Tin Oxide Coatings

该小型企业创新研究(SBIR)项目将开发一种ITO修复系统，用于修复被划伤的ITO涂层表面的光学和电学性能。这些类型的材料被用作导电窗口，在飞机挡风玻璃和舱盖、光电设备、太阳能电池和EMI屏蔽等应用中也提供了电磁干扰(EMI)保护。目前，没有经济的解决方案来修复或返工ITO涂层基板在制造过程中或在最终应用中出现划痕。拟议的工艺将直接将ITO薄膜涂覆到划痕区域。研究将集中于开发工艺参数，包括材料、薄膜沉积程序，以便在环境条件下应用新型涂层技术，而不必使用高真空设备或高沉积温度。这将使技术人员在制造过程中或在现场使用便携式薄膜应用套件进行现场修复时很容易使用该技术。这项技术的更广泛影响将是由于碎片或其他材料的撞击而在服役中损坏的ITO涂层飞机和直升机天篷。这将是军方的一大好处，因为电磁干扰对飞机的损害可能是相当危险的。其他主要的高附加值市场包括电光设备，如显示器、有机发光二极管(OLED)和传感器。这项新技术将允许在微电子制造中使用直接图案化工艺，从而显著降低工艺成本。这将使美国在与亚洲光电设备制造商的竞争中处于领先地位。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project will develop an Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) repair system for restoring the optical and electrical properties of scratched ITO-coated surfaces. These types of materials are used as electrically conducting windows which also provide protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI) in applications such as aircraft windshields and canopies, electro-optical devices, solar cells and EMI shielding.Currently there are no economical solutions to repair or rework the ITO-coated substrates scratch during the manufacturing or use in final applications. The proposed process will directly apply ITO films into the scratched areas. The research will focus on the development of process parameters, including materials, film deposition procedures, to allow the application of the novel coating technique in ambient conditions, rather than having to use high-vacuum equipment or high deposition temperatures. This will allow the technology to be used easily by technicians during manufacture, or in the field for on-site repair using a portable film application kit.The broader impacts of this technology will be ITO-coated aircraft and helicopter canopies, damaged in service due to impact by debris or other materials. This will be a major benefit for the military since the damage to the aircraft due to electromagnetic interference can be quite hazardous. Other major, high-value-added markets include electro-optical devices, such as displays, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs)and sensors.The new technology will permit the use of direct patterning processes used in microelectronics manufacture, thereby significantly reducing process costs. This will put the U.S. in a leadership position vis-a vis the Asian manufacturers of the electro-optical devices.