The Latest in Series of Roll-to-roll
Manufacturing Contracts will Focus on the Development of a State-of-the-art
Photolithography Tool
The U.S. Display Consortium (USDC), a public/private partnership chartered with developing the industry infrastructure needed for next-generation flat panel displays (FPDs), today announced the latest in its series of contracts designed to bring roll-to-roll, or web-based, manufacturing of lightweight, flexible displays and microelectronic backplanes to market. Wilmington, Mass.-based Azores Corporation, a provider of photolithography equipment for the FPD and packaging industries, will develop a web-based lithography tool needed for the manufacture of flexible displays.
The 15-month project, which will cost approximately $4.09 million (U.S.), will be shared equally between Azores and the USDC. This is the second contract to be awarded to Azores in the last 4 years-signaling the consortium's confidence in Azores' lithography technology in delivering the precision imaging capability essential for the web-based manufacture of flexible displays.
A flexible display based on plastic substrates is considered a new paradigm by the display industry. The use of new materials such as plastics, however, requires revolutionary processing methods. Web-based manufacturing-in which displays can be created on a continuous roll, or web, of flexible material-has demonstrated significant potential, and is heralded for its ability to increase yields and reduce overall manufacturing costs over traditional manufacturing processes. Despite its myriad benefits, the industry is confronted with several major hurdles in process tool development, such as photolithography, that need to be overcome in order for web-based manufacturing of flexible displays on plastic substrates to become a reality.
Photolithography is a critical step in the manufacture of FPDs-especially the electronic thin-film transistor (TFT) backplane and the display front plane. The actual photolithography process involves the transfer of a complex image from a photomask onto a substrate, which is coated with a photoresist. The photoresist is then exposed to light, some of which is cured by this exposure. The unnecessary portion of the photoresist material is then cleaned from the surface, leaving the desired pattern behind to serve as a resist for the etching step. The photolithography process is repeated until all layers have been imaged onto the surface-the accuracy of which severely impacts display panel quality.
This process is complicated and requires extreme stability in the imaging system and substrate to ensure precision imaging. Currently, displays are manufactured on mechanically and thermally stable substrates like glass, and are handled in a rigid individual sheet form-providing the necessary stability to ensure high-precision imaging. However, web-based manufacturing requires flexible substrates, such as plastic, which are inherently much more unstable. Azores has demonstrated the technology capability to enable real-time compensation for substrate distortion, which is key for precision imaging on unstable substrate materials like plastic.
"One of the most challenging process hurdles impeding the industry's shift to web-based manufacturing of flexible displays is photolithography," noted Dr. M. Robert Pinnel, USDC's chief technical officer. "We are confident in Azores' ability to undertake the development of a web-based lithography tool that will tackle this complex processing hurdle head on-addressing the stringent imaging performance and stability control and compensation that are paramount to the high-yield production of displays on plastic substrates."
Elvino da Silveria, Azores' president, commented, "We look forward to continuing our work with the USDC. By leveraging the solid intellectual property in the lithography space that we've amassed through our predecessor company, MRS, we are confident in our ability to deliver a state-of-the-art lithography tool for the web-based manufacture of flexible, next-generation FPDs."
"Enhanced military communications are an important element of the Army's transformation and this new display technology will help support that goal," stated Senator John Kerry (D-MA)." I extend my congratulations to Azores for its success in securing this contract."
"My congratulations go to the Azores team on winning this contract," said Representative John Tierney (MA-06). "This award is an indication that Azores' past work and experience have given USDC confidence that Azores is the company that can successfully address the revolution in display manufacturing technology."
This contract award to Azores is the latest in USDC's efforts to develop the process equipment essential for web-based manufacturing. Earlier this month, USDC awarded a contract to Kurt J. Lesker Company (KJLC) to develop a linear organic materials deposition source module needed to manufacture large-area (600 mm) organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Prior to that, the consortium announced a $6 million contract with CHA Industries to design and build a new web-coating deposition tool.
For more information, please contact:
US Display Consortium
Heidi Hoffman
84 W. Santa Clara Street, Ste. 790
San Jose, CA 95113
(408) 993-8111
heidi@usdc.org
About the U.S. Display Consortium
The U.S. Display Consortium is an industry-led public/private partnership providing a common platform for flat panel display and flexible microelectronics manufacturers and developers, FPD users, and the supplier base. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., the consortium’s primary mission is to fund supply-chain projects and share the results with USDC member companies. The USDC also provides a communication channel among industry, government and the financial communities for display issues; sponsors workshops to broaden the impact of technological developments; and educates consumers on the importance of displays in providing access to information technology. More information about the USDC can be found at www.usdc.org
Azores Corp is a capital equipment manufacturer for the photolithography industry. Azores began business as a support company for customers of MRS Technology's 5000 product line, and expanded into the refurbishing and manufacturing business, now encompassing several diverse products. Azores was started by former MRS Technology employees with extensive stepper system knowledge, and is augmented by a technical group of contractors and business advisors.
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