• The monthly packaging world
• /
• s.233
• /
• pp.136-143
• /
• 2012

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.69-74
• /
• 2019

The aim of this work is to investigate the effect of the microtip length in a slot-die head on coating of a fine poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) stripe. To this end, we have employed a meniscus guide with a 150-㎛-wide microtip and performed roll-to-roll slot-die coatings by varying its length between 500 ㎛ and 50 ㎛. When the microtip length is 150 ㎛ or shorter, we have observed three unexpected phenomena; 1) though the solution spreads much wider than the microtip width, yet the coated stripe width is almost the same as the microtip width, 2) the stripe width decreases, but the stripe thickness is rather increased with increasing coating speed at a fixed flow rate, 3) we obtain stripes much narrower than the microtip width at high coating speeds. It is due to the fact that 1) the meniscus is not well controlled by a short microtip, 2) the main stream of solution from the outlet is very close to the substrate and thus the distributed solution along the head lip merges with the main stream, and 3) the solution is not spread over the entire microtip end at high coating speeds, causing a tiny wobble in the meniscus. Using the 150-㎛-wide and 250-㎛-long microtip, we have fabricated 153-㎛-wide and 94-nm-thick PEDOT:PSS stripe at the maximum coating speed of 13 mm/s. To demonstrate its applicability in solution-processable organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), we have also fabricated an OLED device with the fine PEDOT:PSS stripe and obtained strong light emission from it.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.20 no.7
• /
• pp.347-352
• /
• 2019

This study focused on improving the cast quality of small-sized induction motor rotors during the die casting process. A new rotor core cast model was proposed based on previous research results and parametric studies. Numerical analyses using 3-dimensional half models were performed to evaluate the filling patterns of aluminum molten metals into a mold and on-site experiment performed to verify the newly proposed cast model. The following were obtained from numerical filling analyses and experimental results. First, molten metals started to fill the lower end ring, then moved on to fill the core slot and upper end ring and finally stopped to fill at the rotor core slot. Second, significant circulation of molten metals was not observed on the lower end ring, resulting in fewer defects at the section of the lower end ring from the experimental results. Third, the new shape of a rotor core cast was effective in producing rotors with sound cast quality, and reducing the end ring cast defect area by approximately 70 %.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.70-76
• /
• 2021

A cylindrical microlens (CML) has been widely used as an optical element for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), light diffusers, image sensors, 3D imaging, etc. To fabricate high-performance optoelectronic devices, the CML with high aspect ratio is demanded. In this work, we report on facile solution-based processes (i.e., slot-die and needle coatings) to fabricate the CML using poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). It is found that compared with needle coating, slot-die coating provides the CML with lower aspect ratio due to the wide spread of solution along the hydrophilic head lip. Although needle coating provides the CML with high aspect ratio, it requires a high precision needle array module. To demonstrate that the aspect ratio of CML can be enhanced using slot-die coating, we have varied the molecular weight of PMMA. We can achieve the CML with higher aspect ratio using PMMA with lower molecular weight at a fixed viscosity because of the higher concentration of PMMA solute in the solution. We have also shown that the aspect ratio of CML can be further boosted by coating it repeatedly. With this scheme, we have fabricated the CML with the width of 252 ㎛ and the thickness of 5.95 ㎛ (aspect ratio=0.024). To visualize its light diffusion property, we have irradiated a laser beam to the CML and observed that the laser beam spreads widely in the vertical direction of the CML.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.32-37
• /
• 2023

For the potential applications in large-area OLED lightings, hydrogen fuel cells, and secondary batteries, we have performed an intermittent coating of high-viscosity polydimethylsiloxane using roll-to-roll slot die coater. During intermittent coating, dead zones inevitably appear where the thickness of PDMS patch films becomes non-uniform, especially at the leading/trailing edge. To reduce it, we have coated the PDMS patches by varying the process parameters such as the installation angle of the slot die head, coating speed, and patch interval. It is observed that the PDMS solution flows down and thus the thickness profile is non-uniform for horizonal intermittent coating, whereas the PDMS solution remaining on the head lip causes an increase in the PDMS thickness at the leading/trailing edges for vertical intermittent coating when the coating velocity is low. As the coating speed increases, however, the dead zone is shown to be reduced. It is addressed that the overall dead zone (the dead zone at the leading edge + the dead zone at the trailing edge) is smaller with horizontal intermittent coating than with vertical intermittent coating.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.30-35
• /
• 2020

A microlens has been fabricated by various methods such as a thermal reflow, hot embossing, diamond milling, etc. However, these methods require a relatively complex process to control the microlens shape. In this work, we report on a simple and cost-effective method to fabricate a cylindrical microlens (CML), which can diffuse light widely. We have employed a slot-die head with the dual plate (a meniscus guide with a protruded μ-tip and a shim with a slit channel) for coating of a narrow stripe using poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). We have shown that the higher the coating gap, the lower the maximum coating speed, which causes an increase in the stripe width and thickness. The coated PMMA stripe has the concave shape. To make it in the shape of a convex microlens, we have applied the thermal reflow method. When the stripe thickness is small, however, its effect is negligible. To increase the stripe thickness, we have increased the number of repeated coating. With this scheme, we have fabricated the CML with the width of 223 ㎛ and the thickness of 7.3 ㎛. Finally, we have demonstrated experimentally that the CML can diffuse light widely, a feature demanded for light extraction efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and suppression of moiré patterns in displays.

• The monthly packaging world
• /
• s.351
• /
• pp.60-70
• /
• 2022

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.89-94
• /
• 2008

To satisfy good mechanical and optical properties of polymer-coated film products, it will be indispensable to elucidate the molecular orientation of polymer chains within coating liquids in coating flows. Using hybridized numerical method between computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and Brownian dynamics (BD) simulations can provide the useful information for the better quality control of coated films. Flexible polymer chains, e.g., ${\lambda}$-DNA molecules here, change their conformation according to the flow strength and the flow type. The molecular conformation within the coated film on the web or substrate is quite different, because the polymer chains experience the complicated flow strength and flow types in flow field. Especially in the slot coating flow, these chains are more extended by the extension-like flow field generated in the free surface curvature just beyond the downstream die region. Also, the polymer chain extension beneath the free surface can be affected by the die geometry, e.g., the coating gap, changing flow field.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.19-25
• /
• 2023

With an attempt to investigate the correlation between the internal pressure distribution of slit nozzle and the thickness uniformity of slot-coated thin films, we have performed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of slit nozzles and slot coating of high-viscosity (4,800 cPs) polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using a gantry slot-die coater. We have calculated the coefficient of variation (CV) to quantify the pressure and velocity distributions inside the slit nozzle and the thickness non-uniformity of slot-coated PDMS films. The pressure distribution inside the cavity and the velocity distribution at the outlet are analyzed by varying the shim thickness and flow rate. We have shown that the cavity pressure uniformity and film thickness uniformity are enhanced by reducing the shim thickness. It is addressed that the CV value of the cavity pressure that can ensure the thickness non-uniformity of less than 5% is equal to and less than 1%, which is achievable with the shim thickness of 150 ㎛. It is also found that as the flow rate increases, the average cavity pressure is increased with the CV value of the pressure unchanged and the maximum coating speed is increased. As the shim thickness is reduced, however, the maximum coating speed and flow rate decrease. The highly uniform PDMS films shows the tensile strain as high as 180%, which can be used as a stretchable substrate.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
• /
• v.32 no.8
• /
• pp.673-680
• /
• 2015

A roll-to-roll (R2R) continuous manufacturing system for a carbon-nanotube (CNT)-/silver-nanowire (AgNW)- based large-area transparent conductive film was introduced in this study. The systemic guidelines of the R2R slot-die coating process including roll eccentricity, wrap angle, pump accuracy, and blower influence were discussed. To simulate the coating phenomenon, we investigated the governing parameters of the coating process by incorporating the estimated relative thickness that was defined by combining the viscocapillary model and volume model. By using experimental and mathematical approaches, an excellent transparent conductive layer with a $40{\Omega}/{\Box}$ sheet resistance and 88 % transmittance was obtained; moreover, a dimensionless number identifies the correlation between the transparent conductive film and the anti-reflection film.