Rolith says they are developing a new proprietary nanolithography technology that uses its "Rolling Mask" lithography system (RML). Rolith says that the new technology will enable low cost, high throughput and large area nanopatterning, and is suitable for OLED panels. In fact the company is seeking collaboration with companies - to jointly develop this technology.
Rolith's technology is based on a novel concept of continuous (conveyor, or Roll-to-Roll) nano patterning using cylindrical photomasks. A prototype was designed and built in 2011 in partnership with SUSS Microtec which allows patterning a 300 mm x 300 mm plates or 12 wafers. Rolith has successfully demonstrated printing dense nanostructures with less than 300 nm features, and are currently working on enhancing the resolution. The company's roadmap promises scaling up to 1m substrates in 2012 and up to 3 meters in the next 2 years. They are also developing a technology that will handle flexible substrates.
Regarding OLEDs, Rolith claims that such nanostructuring has four advantages over current technology that will improve OLED's efficiency:
- Light extraction layers (subwavelength nanostructures for better out-coupling of light from LED)
- Transparent electrodes (instead of ITO - nano grid of metal wires)
- Anti-reflective layers (sub-wavelength nanostructures "moth eye" type)
- Self-cleaning layers (superhydrophobic structures with "Lotus" effect)
