MAE GRADUATE SEMINAR
Dr. Konstantinos A. Sierros, PostDoctoral Research Associate, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University April 16, 2007, 3:00 PM, 207 ESB Hybrid thin film components for flexible electronics: towards the manufacture of reliable rollable foldable displays Abstract There is currently interest in flexible displays for applications including rollable displays, wearable displays, and large area displays. The ability to manufacture displays using roll-to-roll processing has great potential benefits in cost and the ability to make large area displays without expensive glass handling equipment. However, there are a number of challenges ahead with the development of such displays. In particular most suitable electronic materials are ceramics and are not inherently flexible. Thin film deposition of electronic materials on flexible polymer substrates can be performed using physical vapor deposition and solution methods. An understanding of the mechanical properties of these hybrid systems is critical to developing reliable flexible displays. The development of flexible displays is therefore reliant on multidisciplinary scientific and engineering research at the interface where physics, materials science and manufacturing technology converge. The aim of this research is to investigate and anticipate potential challenges that can arise, regarding the evolution of flat panel display technology to flexible flat panel display technology. In this seminar I will cover the mechanical issues involved when the display electrode material is stressed, or bent or generally deformed in service conditions. In addition, physical deposition of thin conductive layers on plastic display substrates as well as tribological characterization of the substrate and/or thin composite will be addressed.
Biography: Dr Konstantinos Sierros earned his PhD from the University of Birmingham UK in 2006. He joined WVU in March as a Post Doctoral Research Associate with responsibility for the SEM. His research interests include thin film deposition, mechanics of flexible displays and thin film tribology. Dr Sierros also holds an MSc in Polymer Engineering and Science from Birmingham University UK and a BEng in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne UK.