Plastic microchips' logical revolution
26 February 2003
News
Producing plastic microchips at very low cost is no longer a dream waiting for fulfilment. Scientists at the University of Cambridge claim to have developed a process which involves the use of inkjet printing to produce ultra-thin chips and which are much cheaper to make than their silicon counterparts. Pictured is a researcher using an inkjet printer to produce an active electronic circuit from advanced plastic material.
The initial research was undertaken at the university's Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, by Dr Henning Sirrinhaus and Prof Richard Friend. It was subsequently put on a commercial footing to bring the benefits of university research to a wider public through a commercial spin-off. The new company, Plastic Logic, is recognised today as a leading developer of plastic electronics technology and now employs 30 staff.
Although not as powerful as conventional silicon chips, the new chips are flexible and thin and present an obvious choice for the labelling of supermarket products, recording the product's price at the checkout, and possessing the capacity to warn later when the product reaches, or has passed, its use-by date.
Combining the power of electronics with the pervasiveness of printing, Plastic Logic's technique offers the potential to radically change the economics of key segments of the semiconductor industry. The technology has a range of applications that include flat panel displays, electronic paper, electronic labels, intelligent packaging and wearable computing.
For more information contact Plastic Logic, 0944 1223 706000, or see www.plasticlogic.com
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