Organic Electronics NPL has world-leading, advanced metrology capability to support organic, plastic and printed electronics. We work on performance (from nano- to macroscale), durability and large area characterisation.
Durability/ lifetime management of materials: investigation of degradation mechanisms, device failure analysis, accelerated testing…
Traceable facility for Water Vapour Transmission Rate (WVTR) measurements through barrier layers
Mechanical characterisation
Nano indentation and AFM based nanoindentation: Modulus, creep, hardness and impact properties on the nano-scale
Surface Acoustic wave spectroscopy
Morphological characterisation
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with EDX and WDX analysis
Field emission SEM: high-resolution images of nanoscale topographic features
Electron back-scattering diffraction (EBSD)
Confocal and optical microscopy: surface topography
White-light interferometry: surface roughness, topography
Opto-electrical measurements
Electro-absorption: built-in electric field
Dark injection transient spectroscopy: charge mobility
Probe station with inert atmosphere and variable temperature linked to semiconductor parameter analyzer
Class AAA: solar cell efficiency, current-voltage curves
Incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (external quantum efficiency): spectral photoresponse for solar cell characterization
Micro to millimeter scale photocurrent mapping (up to 225 cm2 samples)
Electrical characterisation of interconnects: linearity, eddy current, TDR
Rheology
Scanning probe microscopies
Atomic force microscopy: topography
Scanning Kelvin probe (atmospheric and ultra high vacuum): workfunction
(Photo)conductive AFM: nanoscale (photo)current response
Scanning Thermal Microscopy: nanoscale thermal properties
Surface analysis
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy: surface chemical composition
Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy: material workfunction
Secondary ion mass spectrometry: chemical depth profiling
Contact angle measurement: surface energy mapping for print deposition characterisation
Raman spectroscopy: chemical mapping (micrometer and nanometer spatial resolution methods)
Spectroscopic: film thickness and optical properties
Thermal analysis: Thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, thermal transmittance, heat capacity and thermal expansion.
Clean room for sample preparation and processing (class 1000 and class 100): spin coater, wire bar coater, thermal evaporation, e-beam evaporation, lithography…
Organic Electronics links