Carclo in lighting panel innovation

Cambridge said it has worked with the Osset-based firm to demonstrate a lighting panel featuring polymer light emitting diodes (P-OLED), which could offer a high-volume manufacturing solution.

The new device could be used in technology including flat screen TVs and electronic displays, at a fraction of the traditional cost.

It uses technology created by the West Yorkshire firm's subsidiary, Conductive Inkjet Technology division, which prints "invisible" copper lines on plastic products.

Cambridge said the new device is unique because it does not use indium tin oxide (ITO), instead using electroless metal deposition to create a fine copper mesh which is highly transparent and highly conductive.

ITO is widely used as a transparent conductor in the displays, lighting and photovoltaics industries, but is in short supply and is expensive. It is also very brittle and can crack during processing. Devices using it can also suffer from large voltage drops, causing a drop-off in light intensity.

The project is being part-funded by the government-backed Technology Strategy Board. The project, codenamed Nomad, started in 2007 with the aim of developing technology for the next generation of P-OLEDs, to slash manufacturing costs for devices such as P-OLED lighting panels.

The new manufacturing method reduces costs by eliminating indium tin oxide along with significantly reducing processing costs.

Conductive Inkjet Technology chief executive Chris Malley commented: "It is extremely encouraging to see functioning device being manufactured that, not only offer the potential for high-volume solution processable manufacture, but also offer lower cost and higher performance."

Conductive Inkjet Technology has major growth potential for Carclo. Last year it won a landmark deal to develop and launch a new touch screen for use in mobile phones.

The deal, worth up $2m (1.2m) with US electronics heavyweight Atmel Corporation, will see Conductive Inkjet Technology install a new production line at its Cambridge facility to produce touch screen sensors.

The production line will be operational in the second half of this year, with mass production beginning in 2011.