NSF Lab Modules

From OLEG

Laboratory Teaching Modules on Organic Electronics and Liquid Crystal Displays

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The overall objective of this project is to develop of a series of laboratory experiments for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in electrical engineering, materials science, and physics that give hands-on experience with organic electronic materials and liquid crystal display technology. Inherently modular laboratory experiments are proposed for the fabrication and characterization of four devices: a single-pixel liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), an organic photovoltaic (OPV) solar cell, and a polymer field-effect transistor (pFET, or organic thin-film transistor, OTFT). We have also designed comprehensive lab procedures and identified a low-cost "kit" of materials and equipment necessary for their implementation, in such as way as to be inherently transferable to other universities. We are currently using these lab modules within the 'Soft Electronics: Organic Devices and LCDs' course at NCSU.

"Soft" organic materials are at the forefront of much current research and are the core technology of an increasing number of consumer products available as shown in the images below (e.g. displays, lighting, flexible electronics, renewable energy devices). We maintain that “soft” electronic and photonic devices are some of the most compelling topics for undergraduates and graduates and their fabrication is comparably much simpler than the more traditional solid-state devices. We therefore aim to open this window of opportunity by creating coherent instructional materials that offer the hands-on experience of building and characterizing these devices (with minimal investment).

NAVIGATION

• Module Summaries
• Materials & Supplies
• Presentations & Publications

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These materials are based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0633661. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Modules designed and maintained by Dr. MJ Escuti, BL Conover, and RK Komanduri.

Modern LCD Applications (Flat-Screen TV, Smart Phone, Projector)

Modern OLED Applications (Flat-Screen TV, Flexible Display, Lighting)

Modern OPV Applications (Flexible Photovoltaic Sheet, Military Tent and Clothing with Photovoltaic Fabrics, Solar Cell Panel)

Modern OTFT Applications (Flexible Displays with OTFT Electrodes, Flexible OTFT Array)