Integrated circuits and systems and methods for producing the same
Three dimensional integrated circuits including semiconductive organic materials are described. In some embodiments, the three dimensional integrated circuits include one or more electronic components that include a semiconductive region formed of one or more semiconductive organic materials. The electronic components of the three dimensional integrated circuits may also include insulating regions formed from organic insulating materials, and conductive regions form from conductive materials. The three dimensional integrated circuits may be formed by an additive manufacturing process such as three dimensional printing. Apparatus and methods for producing and testing three dimensional integrated circuits are also described.
1. A three dimensional printing apparatus, comprising:
a controller;
a print head; and
a materials store; wherein:
said controller is configured to process a digital model of an integrated circuit into a plurality of layers with a host processor;
said integrated circuit includes at least one electronic component comprising at least one semiconductive region; and
said print head is configured to produce an operable physical copy of said integrated circuit by iteratively depositing on a support each of said plurality of layers using one or more materials contained in said materials store.
2. The three dimensional printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said print head comprises at least one deposition mechanism and at least one curing mechanism, wherein said deposition mechanism is configured to produce layers of uncured material from said materials store on said support, and said curing mechanism is configured to cure said layers of uncured material.
3. The three dimensional printing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said deposition mechanism produces said layers of uncured material by at least one of:
extruding a molten extrudate of a material in said materials store on said support;
depositing particles of a material in said materials store on said support; and
forming a layer of photopolymerizable material from said materials store on said support.
4. The three dimensional printing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said curing mechanism cures said layers of uncured material by applying at least one of light and heat to said layers.
5. The three dimensional printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said print head comprises a plurality of nozzles.
6. The three dimensional printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said materials store contains at least one semiconductive organic material, and said print head is configured to physically reproduce said at least one semiconductive region with said at least one semiconductive organic material.
7. The three dimensional printing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said digital model further comprises an electrically insulating region and an electrically conductive region, said materials store contains at least one organic insulating material and at least one conductive material, and said print head is configured to physically reproduce said electrically insulating region and electrically conductive region with said at least one organic insulating material and at least one conductive material, respectively.
8. The three dimensional printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said integrated circuit comprises multiple layers of electronic components.
9. The three dimensional printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said integrated circuit is a three dimensional integrated circuit.