Exponent has an experienced team of scientists and engineers who are contributing to the development of both organic and silicon-based solid-state devices for flexible electronics applications. The team has significant knowledge of the constituent chemistry and materials, processing, and growth of semiconductor devices. Together with Exponent’s Mechanical and Materials engineers, our staff is capable of providing an unsurpassed resource in the organic and silicon-based flexible electronics field. We provide services in the areas of:
- Thin-film characterization
- High-vacuum systems
- Plasma deposition
- Optical design
- Packaging and encapsulation
- Polymer substrates
- Metal foil substrates
- Active Matrix Organic Light-emitting Diodes (OLEDs)
- Photovoltaics
- Transparent conductive oxides
- Poly- and amorphous silicon
- Organic material development
- Illumination and signage
- Device operational reliability
- Thermal analysis
- Mechanical analysis
- Grant, paper, and proposal writing
- Intellectual property
Flexible Electronics include large-area devices such as displays, sensor arrays, and solar cells, as well as smaller devices such as radio-frequency identification tags. These products allow for many new energy conversion and biomedical applications, because the electronics are attached to substrates that are bendable, conformal, light-weight, unbreakable (shatter proof), and often cheaper to manufacture through roll-to-roll processing. Our consultants have been deeply involved in this field and have published many of the initial papers about integration of display arrays onto both polymer and metal foils. They can assist in research, development, and failure analysis, as well as intellectual property issues.
Illumination—Solid-state light sources are the future of lighting. White organic LEDs are being investigated to deliver exciting new illumination forms and functionalities. Our team is at the forefront of this technology and can assist in the research, development, intellectual property, and litigation support involving these devices.
Intellectual Property—Protecting and enforcing intellectual property is extremely important in any technical field, even more so in an emerging field such as flexible electronics. Our team has extensive experience in patent and trade secret litigation, and patent portfolio due diligence analysis. We have worked on high-profile, complex patent and trade secret litigation cases in the federal district court system and in the U.S. International Trade Commission. Services provided by Exponent engineers include prior art searches, electrical and software tests, technical document review, validity and infringement analysis, calculation of economic damages, and patent portfolio due diligence analysis.
Displays—Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Device display systems are an emerging display technology with tremendous potential to capture a significant portion of the display market, because of their vivid colors, power efficiency, and fast microsecond on/off pixel switching rates. Our team has been deeply involved in the development of these types of displays and can offer significant insight into this technology.
Thin-Film Transistors are the basic building block for large-area electronics and hold enormous potential for applications such as active matrix displays, electronic paper, sensors, and Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags. With our in-depth understanding of device physics, our technologists can assist in failure analysis, reliability, and performance optimization for these devices.