Konica Minolta IJ Technologies, Inc. (Konica Minolta) has announced that the company developed KM128SNG-MB, a high precision inkjet printhead, and capable of delivering tiny drop size - 1 picoliter - for the first time for printed electronics applications, and is planned to go on sale in sample quantities in Q1 2012.

Utilisation of MEMS technology will enable future nozzle integration according to customer need, as well as further miniaturization of the printhead itself. KM128SNG-MB is expected to demonstrate its worth in OLED display patterning, OLED lighting thin film layer coating, and new manufacturing technologies to provide high-resolution, high added value displays for smartphones and similar devices.

Major features of the newly designed KM128SNG-MB inkjet printhead

• Utilises silicon MEMS technology used in semiconductor processing
• First printhead for printed electronics applications to achieve a 1 pico-litre drop size
• High precision printhead structure = 38 mm wide, 128 nozzles in one row
• Stable, highly accurate operation with precision drive control on a per-nozzle basis
• High ink resistance and optimization for low viscosity inks for industrial applications
• Provides highly uniform thin film print thickness (at the 100 nm level)
• Perfect for displays manufacturing technology, such as for OLED display
• Proprietary DPN (Drive Per Nozzle) drive board and evaluation equipment available

According to Konica Minolta research the printed electronics market, including next-generation flexible displays, should reach 2 trillion yen by 2020.

www.konicaminolta.com