IBM研究實驗室開發(fā)出3D打印塑料電子器件的設備

[據(jù)3Ders網(wǎng)站2015年1月3日報道]隨著目前打印的塑料電子器件性能被認為是接近于40年前的水平，這種進步仍在以指數(shù)級增長，尤其是在高質(zhì)量和低成本制造方法領域。

簡單地說，制造塑料的成本要低于硅（主要是因為硅工藝需要真空和高溫環(huán)境），塑料電路的制造僅僅涉及利用低成本液體進行簡單噴墨打印和加工。

考慮到這些情況，問題就演變成了3D打印的進步如何不僅可以進一步壓縮成本，制造更強大的設備，而且是什么時候？最大的障礙是如何將當今集成電路的微米級功能進行復制。

最近，IBM位于瑞士蘇黎世的研究實驗室通過重置原子力顯微鏡開發(fā)出一種設備，能夠利用有機材料創(chuàng)建納米級分辨率的3D模型。此種材料的其他用途是作為創(chuàng)建電路的掩膜。

為創(chuàng)建這種設備，該團隊在一個AFM探針尖端增加了一個加熱器，利用它對有機分子玻璃或聚鄰笨聚合物（PPA）薄膜材料進行解吸。當加熱時，這兩種材料蒸發(fā)，無殘留。當在更復雜模式下工作時，這種材料可作為采用立體光刻制造方法生產(chǎn)電路的掩膜。用于創(chuàng)建電子器件額外必要的材料通過掩膜上的圖案應用到電路板上。

由于開發(fā)出這一制造工藝，IBM已將該設備授權(quán)給SwissLitho AG公司。該公司是一家剛成立的公司，正在對此項工藝進行改進。這家公司名為NanoFrazor的設備已能夠超越用在半導體制造工藝中傳統(tǒng)的電子束光刻設備。與硅制造設備相比，該設備價值50萬美元。SwissLitho AG公司對設備進行改進涉及更快地創(chuàng)建出能夠制造出更多種類材料模型的模式。
如果Bryzek的理論是正確的，那么距離能夠為可穿戴電子產(chǎn)品和其他小型連接設備便宜地制造塑料電路板不遠了。如果打印的塑料電子器件真正做到給人眼前一亮的感覺，那么由于僅需更小作坊、企業(yè)，甚至更大公司只要有設備能夠真正3D打印自己的電路板，它很可能消除大型半導體公司。隨著增材制造工藝成本的不斷下降，未來這種方法不會太遙遠。

（工業(yè)和信息化部電子科學技術(shù)情報研究所 宋文文）

原文如下：
Recent developments in 3D printed plastic electronics showing promise
Jan 3, 2015 | By Simon
http://www.3ders.org/articles/20 ... howing-promise.html

With today's printed plastic electronics performing nearly just as well as what was considered state-of-the-art forty years ago, it comes with little surprise that advancements are still growing at an exponential level... particularly in higher quality and lower cost fabrication methods.

Simply put, plastic costs less to build than silicon (primarily due to the omission of vacuums and high temperature needs of silicon), and the fabrication of plastic circuit boards involve little more than simple inkjetting and processing with low-cost liquids.

With these facts in mind, the conversation then turns into how advancements in 3D printing can not only drive the costs further down and create even more powerful device, but also, when? The largest hurdle has primarily been in duplicating the micron-level features seen in today's integrated circuits.

More recently, an IBM Research lab in Zurich, Switzerland developed a device by reconfiguring an atomic force microscope so that it was capable of creating 3D patterns with a nanometer-scale resolution in organic material. Among other uses for the material is as a mask for creating circuits.

To create their device, the team added a heater on the tip of an AFM probe and used it to desorb material from a thin film of organic molecular glass or polyphthalamide polymer (PPA). When heated, both materials evaporate and thus, leave no residue behind. When done in more complex patterns, the material can serve as a mask for producing circuits with stereolithography fabrication methods. The additional necessary materials for creating the electronics are then applied to the board via the pattern on the mask.

Since developing this fabrication method, IBM has licensed the device to SwissLitho AG, a startup that is developing several enhancements for the technology. Their version of the device, the NanoFrazor, has been able to outperform conventional electron-beam lithography equipment used in the semiconductor manufacturing process and costs just $500,000 compared to up to $30 million for silicon manufacturing equipment. The enhancements that SwissLatho AG are currently working on involve faster speeds for creating the patterns and models that are able to make patterns out of a wider variety of materials.

"Plastic circuits could end up having perhaps 1/1,000th the cost-per-area of the equivalent silicon device," said Dr. Janusz Bryzek, founder of the Trillion Sensor movement.

If Bryzek's theory is correct, then the potential for being able to cheaply fabricate plastic boards for wearable electronics and other small connected devices isn't too far off of the horizon. If the printed plastic electronics truly do make an impact, it will likely eliminate large semiconductor companies due to smaller workshops, firms and even larger companies being able to literally 3D print their own circuit boards...so long as they have the equipment. As the cost of additive manufacturing methods continue to go down, that future might not be too far off.