The LCD industry is today a business worth more than 100 Billion US$, of which material supply in 2012 reached 70 Billion US$. Asian companies and technology dominate the industry, and the European part of this business is very limited. Conpart is the project owner and SINTEFs customer in the project. The company has a unique particle know-how, coupled with a long experience in ACF technology. Miniaturization of advanced interconnect technologies requires optimised material properties, as well as state-of-the-art characterisation methods and metallization processes. The work is conducted in close collaboration with world leading ACF and display manufacturers. This cooperation provides significant insight into the future challenges in display manufacturing and ACF particle requirements. New and improved particle technology is a critical factor for meeting these challenges.
SINTEF Materials and Chemistry is involved in this project to contribute to particle technology development. Avoiding agglomeration of small particles during metal deposition and achieving a good dispersion of metallised particles in the adhesive are two main challenges. Advanced characterisation, i.a. by electron microscopy, is essential to the development of homogeneous metal coatings with thicknesses in the nm range.
Partners are Conpart (project owner) and Innolux (display producer).
The total budget is 32 mill NOK. SINTEFs part amounts to 3 mill NOK.
The project is an innovation project with the Industry (IPN), supported by the Research Council of Norway