Advanced Thin, Organic and Large Area Electronics (TOLAE) technologies
Specific Challenge: TOLAE is an emerging technology and is the basis for advanced products in large area electronics that are thin, light weight, flexible and/or stretchable, suitable for large market sectors such as the textile, automotive, health, paper, plastic, advertising or construction industries.
Today however, most of the existing products are limited in functionality and performance and are suitable only to a few niche markets. Further efforts are needed to address the main technology barriers of TOLAE, in particular the lack of more efficient and stable materials and of more complex TOLAE circuitry and functionalities. The performance of components and the integration level should also be increased, connectivity should be enhanced and the route to manufacturability improved in terms of reproducibility and yield. Overall, the TOLAE value chain needs to be further developed and become more application-driven while paying attention to recyclability issues.
Scope:
a. Research & Innovation Actions
To advance the state of the art of TOLAE technologies and manufacturing processes and increase the performance, functionality and complexity of TOLAE devices suitable for smart systems. Focus is on conformable/flexible/stretchable substrates and on the development of advanced material, technologies and scalable manufacturing processes for achieving more functionality, better performance, longer lifetimes, higher mobility/conductivity, more uniformity and better encapsulation of TOLAE devices.
Actions may include related work on design tool development, modelling and design styles/rules. They could also include hybrid integration of micro/nano-electronics, photonics and organic electronics or specific needs for fibre and textile electronics.
All actions should demonstrate strong industrial and user commitment and be driven by user requirements. They should include standardisation, validation of results for the target applications and address the supply chain, as appropriate.
b. Innovation Actions
To develop and demonstrate novel, innovative products enabled by TOLAE technologies in smart packaging, advertisement and sensing by using suitable manufacturing options (sheet-to-sheet and/or roll-to-roll, printed and/or deposited) with the right balance between performance and volume. Each action should build a dedicated innovation value chain (preferably covering the full value chain). Proposals should contain prototype development and demonstration and may include small scale pilot manufacturing.
All actions should be driven by concrete business cases, and by a thorough attention to user needs and target medium- to high-volume markets. They should include business plans for the targeted products with strong commitment to industrialise and manufacture them in Europe.
c. Technology Take-up and Innovation Support actions
Access services to industry, enabling the wider adoption and deployment of TOLAE technologies in innovative products, in particular by SMEs and driven by concrete user requirements and business cases. The action should be led by the TOLAE excellence centres and innovation clusters. It could include activities for improving skills development in TOLAE and for promoting TOLAE to young people, entrepreneurs and the general public.
Close synergies should be sought with existing similar actions and regional / national research and innovation strategies for smart specialisation.
d. Innovation support through pre-commercial public procurement actions
Enabling the take-up and deployment of electronic and photonic textile technology developments for health care applications.
Expected impact:
a. Research & Innovation Actions
Reinforced industrial leadership in advanced TOLAE technologies and products addressing high-impact, high-volume applications.
Demonstrable break-through innovations in TOLAE functionality or performance and/or in TOLAE manufacturability with high reproducibility and yield.
Improved business opportunities and value creation in Europe by reinforced cooperation along the value chain.
b. Innovation Actions
Effective market introduction of new and highly competitive TOLAE products targeting high impact markets/applications in smart packaging, advertisement and sensing.
Overcoming the ""valley of death"" and building advanced manufacturing capabilities and first exploitation opportunities in Europe.
c. Technology Take-up and Innovation and support Actions
Reinforced innovation effectiveness of TOLAE excellence centres and innovation clusters in particular towards SMEs.
Broad take-up of TOLAE technologies in innovative products by at least 40 SMEs substantially improving their innovation capacity and time-to-market and with demonstrable revenue growth.
Increased awareness and education and training skills in TOLAE.
d. Innovation support through pre-commercial public procurement actions
Wide diffusion of innovative and cost-effective electronic and photonic textile technology developments by pre-commercial procurement at the hospital or the point of care, enabling significant patient's care improvement while boosting productivity and employment.
Types of action:
a. Research & Innovation Actions – Proposals requesting a Small contribution are expected
b. Innovation Actions – Proposals requesting a Large contribution are expected
c. Research & Innovation Actions – One proposal requesting a Small contribution is expected to be selected
d. Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) Cofund actions; any remaining funds will be transferred to types of action a and b.