The Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I project will demonstrate the commercial potential of laser vapor deposition (LVD), an innovative technology for depositing functional thin films of electronic polymers and nanomaterials. In the LVD process, resonant infrared laser excitation of organic or polymer targets produces a vapor of intact material that can be deposited. LVDTM has been demonstrated for many different polymers, is fundamentally a low-temperature process, and preserves the functionality of polymers and small organic molecules. Furthermore, LVD can be used to fabricate new categories of thin-film devices incorporating biomaterials and nanocomposites.
If successful, the outcome of this project will have a significant impact on the reduction to practice and the mass production of organic opto-electronics devices. Widespread adoption of solid-state lighting product such as white-light OLEDs could cut the US consumption of electricity for lighting by 29%, saving the nation's households about $125 billion in the process, according to the US Department of Energy. It would also reduce America's dependence on foreign oil and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, saving the environment. Furthermore, the LVD will accelerate the penetration of organic electronics into the consumer space and create new applications such as flexible displays.
