Inkjet printing of organic electronics – comparison of deposition techniques and state-of-the-art developments

Inkjet printing represents a solution dispensing technique that is characterized by its non-contact, material-efficient and reproducible processing. This critical review discusses the use of inkjet printing for organic electronics with a focus on the applicability as well as the drying behavior. The nascent inkjet printing technique is compared to commonly used solution deposition methods, like spin-coating and doctor blading. Basic drying principles of inkjet printed features are understood and fundamental correlations between processing properties and film characteristics can be drawn. It is, however, a long way to gain a full understanding of the complete drying process, since the process conditions as well as the ink properties correlate in a complex relation with the final device properties. Nevertheless, inkjet printing has the potential to evolve as one of the most promising film preparation techniques in the future and has already been applied successfully in combinatorial screening workflows and for the preparation of organic solar cell devices.