University of Illinois

Semprius, Inc.

X-celeprint Limited

Other

X Display Company Technology Limited

Helioslite

Global Oled Technology LLC

Advanced Diamond Technologies, Inc.

Etienne Menard

Matthew Alexander Meitl

John A Rogers

Ralph G Nuzzo

Dahl-Young Khang

Yugang Sun

Heung Cho Ko

Zhengtao Zhu

Christopher Andrew Bower

Keon Jae Lee

Mark Stoykovich

Jongseung Yoon

Jong-Hyun Ahn

Michael Motala

Chang-Jae Yu

Joseph Carr

Sang-Il Park

Andrew Evert Carlson

Won Mook Choi

Hanqing Jiang

Yonggang Huang

John W Hamer

Seok Kim

Ronald S Cok

Salvatore Bonafede

Dustin Lee Winters

Alfred J Baca

Scott Burroughs

Philip E Garrou

David Kneeburg

John Arthur Carlisle

Wolfgang Wagner

Shawn Mack

Gary Parrett

Michael Sullivan

James Carter

Jong Hyun Ahn

Dae Hyeong Kim

Sergiy Dets

Hoon-sik Kim

Allen Gray

Baron Kendrick

Seong Jun Kang

Heung-Cho Ko

Bruce Furman

Bob Conner

Joe Carr

Sang-II Park

Tae Ho Kim

Ray Jasinski

John William Hamer

Steven Seel

Provided are optical devices and systems fabricated, at least in part, via printing-based assembly and integration of device components. In specific embodiments the present invention provides light emitting systems, light collecting systems, light sensing systems and photovoltaic systems comprising printable semiconductor elements, including large area, high performance macroelectronic devices. Optical systems of the present invention comprise semiconductor elements assembled, organized and/or integrated with other device components via printing techniques that exhibit performance characteristics and functionality comparable to single crystalline semiconductor based devices fabricated using conventional high temperature processing methods. Optical systems of the present invention have device geometries and configurations, such as form factors, component densities, and component positions, accessed by printing that provide a range of useful device functionalities. Optical systems of the present invention include devices and device arrays exhibiting a range of useful physical and mechanical properties including flexibility, shapeability, conformability and stretchablity.

Optical systems fabricated by printing-based assembly

Methods of forming integrated circuit devices include forming a sacrificial layer on a handling substrate and forming a semiconductor active layer on the sacrificial layer. The semiconductor active layer and the sacrificial layer may be selectively etched in sequence to define an semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, which includes a first portion of the semiconductor active layer. A multi-layer electrical interconnect network may be formed on the SOI substrate. This multi-layer electrical interconnect network may be encapsulated by an inorganic capping layer that contacts an upper surface of the first portion of the semiconductor active layer. The capping layer and the first portion of the semiconductor active layer may be selectively etched to thereby expose the sacrificial layer. The sacrificial layer may be selectively removed from between the first portion of the semiconductor active layer and the handling substrate to thereby define a suspended integrated circuit chip encapsulated by the capping layer.

Printable device wafers with sacrificial layers

The present invention provides stretchable, and optionally printable, semiconductors and electronic circuits capable of providing good performance when stretched, compressed, flexed or otherwise deformed. Stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits of the present invention preferred for some applications are flexible, in addition to being stretchable, and thus are capable of significant elongation, flexing, bending or other deformation along one or more axes. Further, stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits of the present invention may be adapted to a wide range of device configurations to provide fully flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Stretchable form of single crystal silicon for high performance electronics on rubber substrates

The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.

Methods and devices for fabricating and assembling printable semiconductor elements

Wafers with etchable sacrificial patterns, anchors, tethers, and printable devices

In a method of printing a transferable component, a stamp including an elastomeric post having three-dimensional relief features protruding from a surface thereof is pressed against a component on a donor substrate with a first pressure that is sufficient to mechanically deform the relief features and a region of the post between the relief features to contact the component over a first contact area. The stamp is retracted from the donor substrate such that the component is adhered to the stamp. The stamp including the component adhered thereto is pressed against a receiving substrate with a second pressure that is less than the first pressure to contact the component over a second contact area that is smaller than the first contact area. The stamp is then retracted from the receiving substrate to delaminate the component from the stamp and print the component onto the receiving substrate. Related apparatus and stamps are also discussed.

Printing transferable components using microstructured elastomeric surfaces with pressure modulated reversible adhesion

The present invention relates to a tracking photovoltaic solar system comprising at least a tracker unit maintaining an array of photovoltaic modules () aligned to the sun during the course of the day. The tracker unit includes: a support structure (), said support structure comprising a plurality of elongated elements () supporting said array of photovoltaic modules and a torque tube () for rigidly supporting said plurality of elongated elements and arranged to rotate along a first rotational axis (), a pole structure () operably connected to said support structure, having an upper part rotationally fixed along said first rotational axis () on said support structure, and a lower part rotationally connected along a second rotational axis () orthogonal to the first rotational axis on foundations (), and a steering mechanism () mechanically coupling together said first and said second rotational axis for rotating said support structure and said operably connected pole structure around said first and second rotational axis in the same movement.

Solar tracker

Methods of making printable device wafers with sacrificial layers

CPV modules include a back plate having an array of 1 mmor smaller solar cells thereon. A backplane interconnect network is also provided on the back plate. This backplane interconnect network operates to electrically connect the array of solar cells together. A front plate, which is spaced-apart from the back plate, is provided. This front plate includes an array of primary lenses thereon that face the array of solar cells. The front plate can be configured to provide a greater than 1000&#xd7; lens-to-cell light concentration to the array of solar cells. To achieve this 1000&#xd7; lens-to-cell light concentration, the primary lenses can be configured as plano-convex lenses having a lens sag of less than about 4 mm. An array of secondary optical elements may also be provided, which extend between the array of primary lenses and the array of solar cells.

Concentrator-type photovoltaic (CPV) modules, receiver and sub-receivers and methods of forming same

In an aspect, the present invention provides stretchable, and optionally printable, components such as semiconductors and electronic circuits capable of providing good performance when stretched, compressed, flexed or otherwise deformed, and related methods of making or tuning such stretchable components. Stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits preferred for some applications are flexible, in addition to being stretchable, and thus are capable of significant elongation, flexing, bending or other deformation along one or more axes. Further, stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits of the present invention are adapted to a wide range of device configurations to provide fully flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Controlled buckling structures in semiconductor interconnects and nanomembranes for stretchable electronics

Growing community of inventors

Durham, NC, United States of America

Etienne Menard