Application of Inkjet Technology in Flat Panel Display

It is expected that the inkjet technology offers prospect for reliable and low cost manufacturing of FPD (Flat Panel Display). This inkjet technology also offers a more simplified manufacturing process for various part of the FPD than conventional process. For example, recently the novel manufacturing processes of color filter (C/F) in LCD, or RGB patterning in OLED by inkjet printing method have been developed. This elaborates will be considered as the precious point of manufacturing process for the mass production of enlarged-display panel with a low price. On this point of view, we would like to review the status of inkjet technology in FPD, with some results on forming micro line by inkjet patterning of suspension type silver nano ink as below. We have studied the inkjet patterning of synthesized aqueous silver nano-sol on interface-controlled ITO glass substrate. Furthermore, we designed the conductive ink for direct inkjet patterning on bare ITO glass substrate. The first, the highly concentrated polymeric dispersant-assisted silver nano sol was prepared. The high concentration of batch-synthesized silver nano sol was possible to 40 wt%. At the same time the particle size of silver nanoparticles was below $10{\sim}20nm$. The second, the synthesized silver nano sol was inkjet - patterned on ITO glass substrate. The connectivity and width of fine line depended largely on the wettability of silver nano sol on ITO glass substrate, which was controlled by surfactant. The relationship was understood by wetting angle. The line of silver electrode as fine as $50{\sim}100\;{\mu}m$ was successfully formed on ITO glass substrate. The last, the direct inkjet-patternable silver nano sol on bare ITO glass substrate was designed also.