Multi-project wafers for flexible thin-film electronics by independent foundries

Multi-project wafers for flexible thin-film electronics by independent foundries

9 May 2024 | Hikmet Çelik, Wim Dehaene, Kris Myny
This article presents a multi-project wafer approach for flexible thin-film electronics using two mainstream TFT technologies: wafer-based amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) and panel-based low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS). The study demonstrates the feasibility of fabless manufacturing of these technologies, enabling the design and production of flexible electronics with high yield and performance. The iconic 6502 microprocessor was implemented in both technologies as a use case to showcase the multi-project wafer concept. The foundry model for TFTs, analogous to silicon CMOS technologies, is expected to accelerate the growth and development of applications and technologies based on these devices. The display manufacturing industry operates as an integrated device manufacturer (IDM), with display companies vertically integrated and responsible for all aspects of the product. However, this model limits the design complexity achievable by foundries. The multi-project wafer concept for TFTs is essential for growing the field, as it allows for the division of dies into smaller sections or sub-dies, which can be sold as separate projects. The interface between a foundry and a design house is a process design kit (PDK), which provides technical details of the foundry technology node, including simulation models and setup files. Although PDKs for TFTs are still in their infancy, they are expected to grow as the number of users increases. The introduction of the foundry-mode access combined with the multi-project wafer concept would be a true game changer for the flexible electronics industry. It would enable higher design complexity for TFT technologies and open the path towards application research, enabling the Internet of Things (IoT), the Internet of Everything, and wearable healthcare, requiring mass production of a very large number of TFT-based electronic circuits. The study also discusses the historical perspective of the silicon complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) chip industry, which initially operated in an IDM mode. The establishment of the fabless business model by TSMC in the late 1980s allowed foundries to focus on manufacturing and development of next-generation technology nodes, while external design houses focused on design activities. The article also discusses the different TFT technologies, including amorphous silicon (a-Si), IGZO, and LTPS, and their respective advantages and challenges. The study demonstrates the implementation of the 6502 microprocessor in both IGZO and LTPS technologies, showing the potential of these technologies for flexible electronics. The multi-project wafer concept with a flexible 6502 use case is demonstrated, showing the feasibility of fabless manufacturing of flexible TFT technologies. The study also discusses the design and characterization of the 6502 chips, including their performance, power consumption, and yield. The results show that the IGZO processor has the best integration density, while the LTPS version yields clock frequencies almost on par withThis article presents a multi-project wafer approach for flexible thin-film electronics using two mainstream TFT technologies: wafer-based amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) and panel-based low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS). The study demonstrates the feasibility of fabless manufacturing of these technologies, enabling the design and production of flexible electronics with high yield and performance. The iconic 6502 microprocessor was implemented in both technologies as a use case to showcase the multi-project wafer concept. The foundry model for TFTs, analogous to silicon CMOS technologies, is expected to accelerate the growth and development of applications and technologies based on these devices. The display manufacturing industry operates as an integrated device manufacturer (IDM), with display companies vertically integrated and responsible for all aspects of the product. However, this model limits the design complexity achievable by foundries. The multi-project wafer concept for TFTs is essential for growing the field, as it allows for the division of dies into smaller sections or sub-dies, which can be sold as separate projects. The interface between a foundry and a design house is a process design kit (PDK), which provides technical details of the foundry technology node, including simulation models and setup files. Although PDKs for TFTs are still in their infancy, they are expected to grow as the number of users increases. The introduction of the foundry-mode access combined with the multi-project wafer concept would be a true game changer for the flexible electronics industry. It would enable higher design complexity for TFT technologies and open the path towards application research, enabling the Internet of Things (IoT), the Internet of Everything, and wearable healthcare, requiring mass production of a very large number of TFT-based electronic circuits. The study also discusses the historical perspective of the silicon complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) chip industry, which initially operated in an IDM mode. The establishment of the fabless business model by TSMC in the late 1980s allowed foundries to focus on manufacturing and development of next-generation technology nodes, while external design houses focused on design activities. The article also discusses the different TFT technologies, including amorphous silicon (a-Si), IGZO, and LTPS, and their respective advantages and challenges. The study demonstrates the implementation of the 6502 microprocessor in both IGZO and LTPS technologies, showing the potential of these technologies for flexible electronics. The multi-project wafer concept with a flexible 6502 use case is demonstrated, showing the feasibility of fabless manufacturing of flexible TFT technologies. The study also discusses the design and characterization of the 6502 chips, including their performance, power consumption, and yield. The results show that the IGZO processor has the best integration density, while the LTPS version yields clock frequencies almost on par with
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