Abstract:
Conventionally, organic semiconductor devices are usually formed by either laser ablation, photolithography or by conductive inkjet printing. All these methods have short coming such as either being unsuitable for high volume production, slow, expensive or as is particularly the case in inject printing, the choice of metals used is restricted to those which can be formed as inks. The present invention employs flexography to print a resist pattern (7) onto a substrate (5) carrying a metal layer (8). Metal not protected by the resist can be etched away and then the resist (7) removed to leave exposed electrodes. Further materials (10,11) can be disposed onto the exposed metal, such as organic semiconductors, to form transistors or diodes.
Abstract:
A known method of forming organic semiconductor devices employs the deposition of a conductive polymer onto a substrate to form electrodes or conductive tracks and then to apply an electrical material such as an organic semiconductor on top of these tracks. Although the conductive polymer serves as a highly efficient injector of electrons into the semiconductor, it is not a good conductor. This introduces undesirable inefficient in the supply of current to and from the semiconductor. Worse still the conductivity may deteriorate with time. A solution to this problem has been found by printing the polymer (7) onto a conductive layer (6) carried on a substrate (5). The printed polymer (7) is then used as a resist during a process in which parts of the conductive polymer not protected by the polymer are removed. The resulting device benefits from the good electron injection qualities of the conductive polymer (7) and efficient conduction by virtue of the underlying conductive layer (6).
Abstract:
A conductive element (3) which can serve as capacitive sensing element comprises a conductive pad (9) comprising relatively low conductivity material, such as carbon- based ink, and a conductive mesh (10) comprising relatively high conductivity material, such as silver-based ink, underlying or overlying the pad to form a composite conductive element. A conductive element (5) which can serve as a connector to a capacitive sensing element comprises a set of elongate conductive tracks (13) and a set of conductive members (14) crossing said tracks.
Abstract:
Apparatus comprise a printed article (2) supporting at least one user input device (6), at least one output device (8) and a controller (7). The controller is configured, in response to receiving an input signal from a user input device, to cause an output device to produce an output signal in dependence upon a previous input signal received by the input device or another input device and/or upon an updatable parameter indicating one of at least two states.
Abstract:
An electronic tag has a plurality of elongate conductive tracks (10) extending in a first longitudinal direction (11) and spaced apart along a second, transverse direction (12). Each track includes relatively wide and relatively narrow portions (13, 14).The plurality of conductive tracks includes at least one pair (16) of tracks providing at least one data-encoding section (17) in which a portion (14) of one track is relatively narrow and a corresponding portion (13) of the other track is relatively wide. This can be used to encode data bits '0' and '1'. Data can be read from the data-encoding section by crossing a drive line over each track in the data-encoding section and applying a time-varying signal to the drive line. The regions of cross over form capacitive elements whose relative magnitude can be determined using a capacitance bridge.
Abstract:
A device comprising a laminate (2) comprising at least two layers (31, 32, 33, 34, 35) and a plurality of electronic components (5, 6, 7, 8) disposed between two layers. At least one of the layers (31, 34) supports conductive tracks (10, 11) arranged to connect electronic components.
Abstract:
A device comprising a laminate (2) comprising at least two layers (3 1, 3 2 , 3 3 , 3 4 , 3 5 ) and a plurality of electronic components (5, 6, 7, 8) disposed between two layers. At least one of the layers (3 1, 3 4 ) supports conductive tracks (10, 11) arranged to connect electronic components.
Abstract:
An article (1) comprises a substrate (5) having indicia (6) printed thereon and an electronic device (2) having at least one input device (3) and at least one output device (4). The indicia (6) include one or more directions or questions (61) in response to which a user provides input to the electronic device via the at least one input device. The indicia further include a link (62) to a source of additional directions or questions.
Abstract:
A lid (1) for a cup (16), comprising: a main lid surface (9); and a perimeter wall (6, 8) surrounding at least part of the main lid surface, is disclosed, the lid further comprising a curved rim surface (7) and a drinking aperture (10). Methods for forming such lids e.g. thermoforming are also disclosed.
Abstract:
A printed article, such as a greeting card (1), comprises a substrate (2) formed of card, a sensor (6) for detecting exhaled breath directed at the substrate, the sensor comprising first and second spaced electrodes (12 1, 12 2) supported on the substrate, means for supplying a user-perceivable signal, such as light emitting diodes (7), and switching means (18) for causing the signal supplying means to supply a signal in response to detection of exhaled breath (19).