For the selective optimization of material properties of thin films, e.g. their crystallinity or density or electrical and optical properties, heat treatments – so-called annealing processes – are often used in thin film technology. However, these are energy- and time-intensive and involve large system footprints, which makes their applicability for large-area substrate formats difficult or even impossible. A solution to this problem is offered by Flash Lamp Annealing (FLA), an innovative process for thermal pre- and post-treatment using xenon flash lamps, which takes place in a time range of a few thousandths of a second.
In a collaboration between ROVAK GmbH and the Fraunhofer FEP, this technology is now being investigated and further developed for large-area applications within the funded project InnoFlash. Electrical circuit concepts for the operation of flash lamps as well as for process control and measurement technology relevant for optimization are investigated and tested. ROVAK GmbH's know-how in the field of technology and system development of pulsed high-performance flash lamps provides the basis for this.
Dr. Manuela Junghähnel from the Fraunhofer FEP explains: "We have put the emphasis on inline FLA. Thanks to our investigations, we are able to treat large areas in continuous operation with treatment speeds of up to six meters per minute and widths of up to 3.2 meters. This primarily allows us to treat areas close to the surface. This also enables the processing of temperature-sensitive materials, whereby maximum surface temperatures of up to 2,000 °C can be achieved. Due to the small footprint of the FLA setup, this process can be implemented in almost any production line.
Contact: Ines Schedwill, Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron Beam and Plasma Technology
Ines.Schedwill@fep.fraunhofer.de
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