The LOMID project will define pathways to the manufacture of flexible OLED microdisplays with an exceptionally large area (16 mm x 20 mm, screen diagonal of 25.4 mm) at acceptably high yields (>65%). This will be achieved by developing a robust silicon-based chip design allowing high pixel counts (1024x1280 (SXGA)) and high spatial resolution(pixel sizes of 10 µm x 10 µm corresponding to 2000 ppi). These display innovations will be coupled to a highly reliable manufacturing of the backplane. Cheap processes (e.g. based on 0.35 µm lithography) will be developed and special attention will be given to the interface between the top metal electrode of the CMOS backplane and the subsequent OLED layers. All these developments will be done on a 200 mm wafer scale. Along with this, a new testing procedure for quality control of the CMOS wafer (prior to OLED deposition) will be developed and promoted for standardisation. The flexibility of the large area microdisplays will be achieved by wafer thinning to enable a bending radius of 45 mm. Along with the new functionality, the durability of the devices has to be guaranteed despite bending to be comparable to rigid devices. The project will address this by improving the OLED efficiency (e.g. operating lifetime > 15,000 hours) and by modifying the device encapsulation to both fulfil the necessary barrier requirements (WVTR < 10^-6 g/d m2) and to give sufficient mechanical protection. The demand for and timeliness of these flexible, large area microdisplays is shown by the strong interest of industrial integrators to demonstrate the benefits of the innovative OLED microdisplays. Within the project, industrial integrators will validate the project’s microdisplays in smart glasses for virtual reality and to aid those with impaired vision.

Laser-based technologies for creating structures in the range from nanometer up to millimeter size find many applications such as free form optics, photonics, multifunctional surfaces, lab-on-chip, etc. with a global market volume of > 200 billion euros. The original structures know as masters are the first step in the making of tools for key-enabling technologies like injection molding or nanoimprinting. Some of the current limitations in the laser lithography processes are the limited depth of the structures, small area and low speed at process level, high-power consumption in the laser interference lithography, and multiple and expensive processes required for the development of hierarchical multifunctional structures at industrial level. The OPTIMAL project will integrate for the first-time different laser lithography technologies, quality monitoring systems and processes in one platform for the development of structures with (i) high depth (150 micrometer), ii) dimensions in the range from 100 nm to sub-mm in XYZ, iii) 2D&3D shape on flat surface, (iv) combining parallel & serial patterning, (v) no need for external treatments on samples; vi) increased speed (1 cm2/min) and large area (up to 2000 cm2), vii) > 40% of reduction in the consumption of resources for the whole manufacturing process. The OPTIMAL project uses self-learning algorithms to optimize the virtual photomask as well as integrates methods for an inline control of the laser patterning. By accelerating and upscaling the structuring process, the OPTIMAL project will increase the process efficiency and yield, which will reduce the energy consumption, avoid material waste, decrease costs, and lead time in many applications. The platform will potentiate the possibilities in the sustainable making of high quality, versatile, less costly masters for industrial manufacturing, as demonstrated in 4 use cases (optical lenses, multifunctional riblet structures, virtual reality lens, microfluidic chips).

The urgent need to provide miniaturized optical components is at the origin of the exponential growth of the micro-optics market over the last decade, with an increasing need for free-form micro-optics to address the challenges set by the photonics market for the five to ten years to come. The industrial demand for free-form microlens arrays (FMLAs) is a current market reality. However, the high access barriers to pre-commercial production capabilities in Europe prevent companies, especially SMEs, from commercially exploiting the FMLA technology. Aim of the project is to set up a self-sustainable pilot-line for the design and manufacturing of FMLAs solutions and their integration into high added-value products. The consortium translates urgent and high-impact industrial needs into industrially relevant predictive software packages, manufacturing tools and processes, characterization methods for in- and off-line quality inspection and integration schemes, all necessary for the successful demonstration in pre-commercial production runs. Objective of the project is 1) to mature the FMLAs manufacturing processes and functionalities from the current technology readiness level TRL 5 to TRL 7 and increase the overall manufacturing readiness level of the pilot line from MRL 5 -6 up to MRL 8-9 by adaptation of predictive algorithms into simulation packages, optimization of different ultraprecision micro-machining technologies for the origination of high-quality FMLAs, optimization of high-throughput UV imprint technologies, integration of a surface coating technique portfolio, optimization of the metrology procedure; 2) to implement six industrial use-cases demonstrating pilot manufacturing in their operational environment; 3) to establish an open-access, sustainable, distributed pilot line infrastructure with single entry point; 4) to validate the pilot line services through the implementation of 20 industrial pilot cases.