Direct Laser Patterning Transparent Conductive Oxide (TCO) Coatings,

Typically Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) 

• ITO:PET or ITO:glass patterning by laser lithography

• Fast - Clean - Reasonably Priced

• Single Step Process, maskless too!

• LC and touch-screen displays

• Wave guides

• RFID tags

• Solar Panels

• Interdigitated electrodes

• Tin Oxide (TO)

• Amorphous Silicon (a-Si)

• Chrome (Cr)

• Any metallic thin film coating on a glass or plastic (PET) substrate is easily laser patterned.

Laserod is proud to be in the forefront of  laser patterning Transparent Conductive Oxide (TCO)  coatings such as indium tin oxide (ITO).   TCO coated glass and plastic film (as typically used in flat panels, windshields, architectural windows, photovoltaics, and touch screen displays) are machined by us down to 10 micron laser spot sizes. We simply overlap the spots at high laser repetition rates and high beam speed to ablate large areas. 

The conventional method of patterning is a photographic process called photolithography  involving the steps of  photoresist coating, exposure, developing, wet chemical etching, stripping and baking.  By contrast, we employ a direct write laser which is a single-step, dry ablative process performed in ambient conditions, thereby replacing the numerous photolithographic process steps with one quick laser ablation operation. Other names for conventional photolithography are wet processing and chemical etching. Call this laser lithography if you wish.

"Lithography by Laser Ablation"

In our continued efforts to stay at the forefront of laser machining technology, Laserod has developed technology that allows us to expertly perform direct write (laser lithography) by laser ablation -- typically of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) thin films on glass or plastic  substrates. The abbreviations are ITO:glass &  ITO:PET. 

Direct write by laser ablation is a state-of-the-art laser operation used in patterning ITO coated glass and plastic which offers fast, large area patterning with little or no environmental impact. We handle ITO:glass plates up to 1.6m x 1.6m and ITO:PET sheets or rolls. However, typical sizes are more like 12" x 12".

Being on the leading edge of laser machining technology, Laserod introduced a new high speed UV laser patterning system for ITO on glass or plastic. This innovation we call ITOP for Indium Tin Oxide Patterning. Both a product and a job shop service are available to you.  We perform both roll-to-roll  and sheet patterning of  ITO:PET. 

Here are some of the remarkable highlights of  ITOP:

• The ability to direct write ITO on glass or plastic at speeds up to an impressive 1m/sec..

• We ablate ITO at laser spot sizes down to 10 microns with field size under 0.25m.         A field size of 1.6m causes the laser spot size to increase to approximately 100um. .  

• Straight, clean laser lines with no pinhole side effects and no lateral etching, yielding high quality laser machining results.

• Removal of ITO on plastic is clean -- resulting in no laser-burn damage to the PET.

• Our Class 100 clean room facility assures the highest quality workmanship.

ITOP replaces traditional wet etch operations and requires no mask.  And, since there is no heating of the substrate, there is no chance of substrate burning.  ITOP  uses no chemicals, no vacuum, and laser created debris and laser burn are minimized. 

For more information on this interesting technology, view the following brochures and presentation:

TRADE LITERATURE:

NOTE 1: You can download a copy of the PDF reader from the Adobe Web site. ITOP Data Sheet ITO Patterning Brochure

You can read more about the ITOP and laser patterning ITO by visiting our ITO page.

Please contact our staff if you would like to know more about this technology or how Laserod can improve the accuracy and turn times of your projects.

You can read more about laser patterning Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) coatings in an article written by Laserod owner, Rod Waters. READ MORE.