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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/R35698/01
Title: Patterned Polymer Films for Photonics Applications
Principal Investigator: Huck, Professor W
Other Investigators:
Friend, Professor Sir R
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Chemistry
Organisation: University of Cambridge
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 October 2001 Ends: 31 January 2005 Value (£): 185,887
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Materials Characterisation Materials Synthesis & Growth
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Electronics
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Panel DatePanel NameOutcome
16 Jan 2001 Joint Photonics Panel Deferred
Summary on Grant Application Form
Conjugated polymers now provide a class of processible, film-forming semiconductors which are used in a range of semiconductor devices. The virtue of using polymers as the active semiconductors is considered to the scope for fabrication using solution-processing techniques to produce thin films. In this proposal we will apply soft-lithographic techniques to pattern polymer films into useful optoelectronic devices. We will exploit the natural tendency of polymer blends to phase separate. The nature of the phase separation in the polymer blend can be controlled by the surface free energy of the substrate onto which the polymer is deposited. Furthermore, when the surface free energy of the substrate is patterned, it is then possible to use this patterning to form a template onto which the two polymers in the blend will phase separate. If the polymers used are functional (e.g. fluorescent semiconductors), we can then contemplate a wide range of new device properties which combine photonic and electronic functions. We will fabricate functioning devices where the active layer contains the phase-separated structures. We will also explore different ways of generating patterned polymer surfaces as a further step towards all-polymeric devices.
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Organisation Website: http://www.cam.ac.uk