Polymer Masking Method for a High Speed Roll-to-Roll Process

• Published in: Macromolecular research Vol. 26; no. 9; pp. 838 - 843
• Main Authors: Song, Jun-Ho, Yim, Soo Jung, Lim, Se Jin, Yu, Jae-Woong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Seoul The Polymer Society of Korea 01.09.2018; Springer Nature B.V; 한국고분자학회
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Complex Fluids and Microfluidics; Etching; High speed; Masking; Masks; Nanochemistry; Nanotechnology; Photoresists; Physical Chemistry; Polymer films; Polymer Sciences; Polymers; Polymethyl methacrylate; Soft and Granular Matter; Titanium dioxide; Vacuum deposition; 고분자공학; roll-to-roll process; organic photovoltaic; intense pulsed light; polymer mask
• ISSN: 1598-5032; 2092-7673
• DOI: 10.1007/s13233-018-6117-x

A new polymer masking system with photo-degradable material applicable to high-speed roll-to-roll vacuum deposition processing was studied. Specifically, a process using intense pulsed light to quickly and cleanly remove polymer masks was developed. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and TiO 2 were blended together with the positive photoresist to prepare a photo-degradable polymer masking. Infrared spectroscopy confirmed that the positive photoresist moiety, diazonaphtoquinone, was photo-decomposed by white intense pulsed light. The process time required to remove the polymer mask was short enough that this method could be used even in high-speed roll-to-roll processes. It was confirmed that the polymer mask film could be easily removed even at a high process speed by using pressurized gas and adhesive roller tape. The transparent electrode was patterned using a polymer mask and an etching paste, and full solution processed inverted type OPV devices were fabricated. The fabricated OPV by direct etching showed a 94% efficiency compared with that of the reference device.