Modelling of Joule heating based self-alignment method for metal grid line passivation

A Joule heating based self-alignment method for solution-processable insulator structures has been modeled for the passivation of metal grid lines, for example for organic light emitting diodes or photovoltaic cells. To minimize overhang of the passivation layer from line edges, we have studied the Joule heating approach using solution-processable, cross-linkable polymer insulator films. Finite element simulations were performed to investigate the heating of the
sample using glass and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates. The sample was at room temperature and the current was selected to induce a temperature of 410 K at the conductor. It was found that the selection of substrate material is crucial for the localization of cross-linking. For a PET substrate, the temperature gradient at the edge of the conductor is approximately twice the gradient for glass. As a result, using a glass substrate demands high selectivity from the polymer cross-linking, thus making PET a more suitable substrate material for our application. A flexible PET substrate is, in addition, compatible with roll-to-roll mass-manufacturing processes.