Extrusion‐based 3D printing, an emerging technology, has been previously used in the comprehensive fabrication of light‐emitting diodes using various functional inks, without cleanrooms or conventional microfabrication techniques. Here, polymer‐based photodetectors exhibiting high performance are fully 3D printed and thoroughly characterized. A semiconducting polymer ink is printed and optimized for the active layer of the photodetector, achieving an external quantum efficiency of 25.3%, which is comparable to that of microfabricated counterparts and yet created solely via a one‐pot custom built 3D‐printing tool housed under ambient conditions. The devices are integrated into image sensing arrays with high sensitivity and wide field of view, by 3D printing interconnected photodetectors directly on flexible substrates and hemispherical surfaces. This approach is further extended to create integrated multifunctional devices consisting of optically coupled photodetectors and light‐emitting diodes, demonstrating for the first time the multifunctional integration of multiple semiconducting device types which are fully 3D printed on a single platform. The 3D‐printed optoelectronic devices are made without conventional microfabrication facilities, allowing for flexibility in the design and manufacturing of next‐generation wearable and 3D‐structured optoelectronics, and validating the potential of 3D printing to achieve high‐performance integrated active electronic materials and devices.
3D printed electronic materials and devices.
Abstract
3D printing of functional materials and devices is an emerging technology which may facilitate a higher degree of freedom in the fabrication of electronic devices in terms of material selection, 3D device form factor, morphology of target surfaces, and autonomy. This chapter discusses 3D printed electronics from the perspective of ink properties and device fabrication, including light-emitting diodes, tactile sensors and wireless powering. In combination with the progress in 3D structured light scanning, advances in computer vision, and commercial trends toward miniaturization, the prospect of autonomous, compact and portable 3D printers for electronic materials is discussed. Because the performance of 3D printed electronics is sensitively influenced by the homogeneity of printed layers, an understanding of fluid mechanics may enhance the quality of the printing and thus the performance of the resulting devices. Lastly, in order to create conformal contact between 3D printed electronics and the human body, an understanding of interfacial mechanics for 3D printed devices is suggested.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1420013
- PAR ID:
- 10310114
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Woodhead Publishing reviews
- ISSN:
- 2048-0571
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102260-3.00013-5
