Non-equilibrium thermal curing processes

A method, comprising:

• providing a stack of layers including:
• a substrate and one or more electronically-active layers disposed on a surface of the substrate;
• a thermally-curable layer of organic material comprising a polymer or polymerizable material applied over the one or more electronically-active layers;
• and
• illuminating, for less than a thermalization time of the stack of layers, a surface of the stack of layers to initiate a non-equilibrium thermal process that includes raising a temperature of the thermally-curable layer of organic material comprising the polymer or polymerizable material, above a first temperature for a length of time sufficient to polymerize and/or cross-link the thermally-curable layer of organic material while maintaining the one or more electronically-active layers below a second temperature that is less than the first temperature, wherein:
• the one or more electronically-active layers is robust to temperatures below the second temperature, and
• maintaining the stack of layers at the first temperature for the length of time sufficient to polymerize and/or cross-link the thermally-curable layer of organic material would render a respective organic layer of the one or more electronically-active layers inoperative.

A method, comprising:

• providing a stack of layers including:
• a substrate and one or more electronically-active layers disposed on a surface of the substrate;
• a thermally-curable layer of organic material comprising a polymer or polymerizable material applied over the one or more electronically-active layers;
• and
• illuminating, for less than a thermalization time of the stack of layers, a surface of the stack of layers to initiate a non-equilibrium thermal process that includes raising a temperature of the thermally-curable layer of organic material comprising the polymer or polymerizable material, above a first temperature for a length of time sufficient to polymerize and/or cross-link the thermally-curable layer of organic material while maintaining the one or more electronically-active layers below a second temperature that is less than the first temperature, wherein:
• the one or more electronically-active layers is robust to temperatures below the second temperature, and
• the second temperature is a bulk damage threshold temperature.

A method, comprising:

• providing a stack of layers including:
• a substrate and one or more electronically-active layers disposed on a surface of the substrate;
• a thermally-curable layer of organic material comprising a polymer or polymerizable material applied over the one or more electronically-active layers;
• and
• illuminating, for less than a thermalization time of the stack of layers, a surface of the stack of layers to initiate a non-equilibrium thermal process that includes raising a temperature of the thermally-curable layer of organic material comprising the polymer or polymerizable material, above a first temperature for a length of time sufficient to polymerize and/or cross-link the thermally-curable layer of organic material while maintaining the one or more electronically-active layers below a second temperature that is less than the first temperature, wherein:
• the one or more electronically-active layers is robust to temperatures below the second temperature, and
• the second temperature is a temperature that would cause a respective organic layer in the one or more electronically-active layers to crack or warp.