Using a remarkable bit of lateral thinking, holographic production technology may soon be used to produce microchips, if Nano ePrint Ltd (NePL) is successful in developing its method of producing nanoelectronic circuits which is currently at proof-of-concept stage.

Nano ePrint, of Manchester, England, was formed in 2006 following research at the University of Manchester. The company has so far invested around £2m, with funds from public sector organisations, including the UK Technology Strategy Board (TSB), the Northern Way and the Manchester Technology Fund, as well as commercial investors which include MTI Partners, a materials technology venture capital fund and private investors. NePL has formed a joint project with hologram producer Optaglio Ltd (see HN Vol 23 No 2), which was supported with over £600000 in grants from the TSB.

NePL is Scott White, who has a successful track record in managing and investing in technology start-ups, with Philip Hudson, founder and former CEO of Optaglio, as an investor and adviser. Aimin Song, Professor of Nanoelectronics at the University of Manchester is the company’s chief scientist, with Richard Price, who formerly was a venture manager with the University’s technology transfer operation, as VP of product management.
NePL’s technology enables planar (ie single level) nanoelectronic circuits that can uniquely be fabricated in a single layer of semiconductor material in a single-step patterning using proven surface-relief imprinting processes. According to Hudson and Scott, these devices achieve substantially higher performance than conventional printed electronics while dramatically reducing circuit size and cost. In practice, this means that tiny chips and electronic devices can be fabricated on a flexible substrate in a process more akin to surface relief hologram production than the conventional way of building up silicon chips.

A conventional thin film transistor (TFT) is a complex 3D structure consisting of multiple material layers built up using several process steps, as shown in figure A. In Nano ePrint’s planar nanotransistor (PNT) the device consists of a simple, planar structure with a single semiconductor layer applied in a single patterning step, shown in figure B.

Thus, a metal stamper equivalent to a holographic embossing shim, is used to emboss a flexible substrate pre-coated with a single layer of thin film semiconductor.

The electron micrograph shows a nano imprint with a feature size less than 10nm. Such a small size embossed into a semiconductor layer demonstrates the potential for higher density than could be achieved with other printing techniques and this, in turn, means lower cost.

Scott White explained to Holography News® that this technology will allow the manufacture of RFID devices on flexible substrates such as polyester, paper or card. Because these can be ultra thin, they can be incorporated into labels, tags, cards and a variety of other products which will then be able to interact with their environment, for example, to show predetermined responses when touched. He added that they expect to be able to produce functional devices by the fourth quarter of 2011.

As the tie-up with Optaglio implies, Nano ePrint is - for the time being at least - not planning to go in to large-scale production itself. It will seek and licence production partners or project partners. For example, it is working with printed electronics specialist Novalia Ltd (based at the Cambridge Science Park) to develop animated printed electronic greetings cards for Tigerprint, a Hallmark subsidiary.

This appears to epitomise NePL’s approach. While it sees the potential for sophisticated semi-conductors in applications such as display drivers, sensors and radio frequency electronics, its initial focus is on simpler devices which could be used in high-visibility, high impact applications such as animated branding, interactive promotional flyers, smart packaging and brand protection, and it is working with other technology partners and potential users on some of these projects.

The company has several patents issued or applied for covering its concept of planar or monolayer devices and the manufacturing method.
Philip Hudson and Scott White will give a paper about the opportunities this could offer for surface relief hologram producers at the Holo-pack•Holo-print conference in November (see p7).

Contact: www.nanoeprint.com.