AIXTRON Introduces PRODOS-200 PVPD™ R&D System

With the launch of its new PRODOS-200 PVPDTM system, AIXTRON is positioning itself for new applications in the deposition of organic thin film materials. The innovative system concept allows for the research of new deposition processes for polymer thin films at an R&D level. In addition, an easy transfer to industrial processes is ensured by high deposition rates, high contour conformity of the deposited layers, and unrestricted scalability based on the proven Close Coupled Showerhead technology.

As a result, the system can help to develop new processes in organic electronics that will open new fields of applications (e.g., new conductive and flexible layers, manipulation of surface properties, and flexible barrier layers) or improve current processes and structures.

“We intentionally developed the new PRODOS line as a modular, expandable platform for various source materials that may exist in liquid, gaseous, or solid forms,” explains Jürgen Kreis, Director of Business Development at AIXTRON. “It is therefore ideally suited for many different applications in the realm of organic thin films and, thanks to its modular design, is set up for developing various polymerization processes.”

PRODOS-200 allows for the implementation of a diverse range of PVPDTM processes, in which the carrier gas-based, gas phase deposition is used for the in-situ polymerization and layer formation of functional polymer thin films. Compared to conventional, usually solution-based polymerization processes, PVPDTM processes are known as “all-dry processes”, in which, based on the operating principle, the solvents do not produce any side effects.

Thanks to a design that can accommodate substrate dimensions of up to 200x200 mm² and its easy integration into cluster environments by means of relevant SEMI-compatible interfaces, the PRODOS-200 platform is also compatible with other AIXTRON systems, such as the OVPD R&D line. It therefore allows to include the platform in complex process environments by combining various thin film technologies for organic and inorganic thin films. As a result, new compounds can be created and utilized in the area of organic electronics (OTFT, OPV, OLED). The double-wall-chamber construction makes the system very maintenance-friendly and ensures that it can be quickly modified to suit other processes.

“This wide range of benefits make AIXTRON’s PVPDTM processes ideal for entirely new applications, where polymer thin films and their specific properties will help to increase efficiency,” says AIXTRON COO Dr. Bernd Schulte. “Our customers have already successfully utilized the process to produce a wide range of functional layers. Since polymers open up complex possibilities, we will qualify the new technology platform for additional processes in the future by collaborating with various partners.

OVPD® technology has been exclusively licensed to AIXTRON from Universal Display Corporation (UDC), Ewing, N.J. USA for equipment manufacture. OVPD® technology is based on an invention by Professor Stephen R. Forrest et al. at Princeton University, USA, which was exclusively licensed to UDC. AIXTRON and UDC have jointly developed and qualified OVPD® pre-production equipment.