6 - Coating and printing processes

Abstract

The purpose of making metal oxides into solution forms is to process them to make electronic devices. Solution processing techniques are at the core of this technology. Here the term of solution processing rather than printing is used, because there are subtle differences between the two terms. Many scientific publications used either solution processing or printing to describe researches in printed electronics, which often caused confusions. Solution process is a more general term encompassing various printing processes. In this chapter, the term solution process is used but clarified with the descriptions of non-patternable and patternable solution processes. Printing is defined as patternable solution process. However, non-patternable solution process is equally important in printed electronics. The chapter introduces the most commonly used various coating techniques as the non-patternable solution process and printing techniques as the patternable solution process, as well as the special patterning method relying on patterned surface energy, which should provide a general guide for applying the right processing techniques to specific applications.