Electrical devices with electrodes on softening polymers and methods of manufacturing thereof
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsRomil Modi, Jonathan Reeder, Gregory T. Ellson, Walter Voit, Alexandra Joshi Imre
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Abstract
Flexible electrical devices comprising electrode layers on softening polymers and methods of manufacturing such devices, including lift-off processes for forming electrodes on softening polymers, processes for forming devices with a patterned double softening polymer layer, and solder reflow processes for forming electrical contacts on softening polymers.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing an electrical device, comprising:
- forming a patterned inorganic liftoff layer to expose a target electrode site on a softening polymer layer;
- depositing an electrode layer on the inorganic liftoff layer and on the exposed target electrode site;
- and
- removing the inorganic liftoff layer by a horizontal liftoff etch to leave the electrode layer on the exposed target electrode site.
An electrical device, comprising:
- a softening polymer layer;
- and
- an electrode layer on the softening polymer layer, wherein at least a portion of the electrode layer has less than about 100 ppm Carbon/micron2 of organic material thereon.
A method of manufacturing an electrical device, comprising:
- forming a softening polymer layer with an electrode layer on a surface of the softening polymer layer;
- forming a second softening polymer layer on the surface of the softening polymer layer, wherein:
- a mechanical neutral plane of the electrical device is located substantially at or above the surface of the softening polymer layer, and
- an opening in the second softening polymer cover layer exposes a portion of a surface of the electrode layer.
An electrical device, comprising:
- a softening polymer layer;
- an electrode layer on a surface of the softening polymer layer;
- and
- a cover layer composed of a second softening polymer on the surface of the softening polymer layer, wherein:
- a mechanical neutral plane of the device is located substantially at or above the surface of the softening polymer layer, and
- an opening in the second softening polymer cover layer exposes a portion of a surface of the electrode layer.
A method of manufacturing an electrical device, comprising:
- placing a stencil mask on a polymer cover layer of the electrical device, wherein apertures in the stencil mask each align with one of a plurality of openings in the polymer cover layer, each of the openings exposing contact pad site portions of electrode layers on a softening polymer layer of the electrical device;
- stencil printing to provide a layer of solder paste that fills the apertures and the openings and contacts the exposed contact pad site portions of the electrode layers;
- removing the stencil mask to form discrete solder contacts located on the exposed contact pad site portions of the electrode layers;
- aligning electrical connector electrodes with each of the solder contacts such that each one of connector electrodes lay on the top surface of one of the solder contacts;
- and
- reflowing the solder contacts to couple the connector electrodes to the contact pad site portions of the electrode layers.
An electrical device, comprising:
- a softening polymer layer;
- an electrode layer on a surface of the softening polymer layer;
- and
- a cover polymer layer on the surface of the softening polymer layer, wherein:
- an opening in the polymer cover layer is filled with a reflowed solder,
- one end of the reflowed solder, located inside the opening, contacts a contact pad site portion of the electrode layer, and
- another end of the reflowed solder contacts an electrical connector electrode of the device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.