Download Dr. Sean Muir will present: The Commercial Potential of Amorphous

Dr. Sean Muir will present: The Commercial Potential of Amorphous Metal
Electronics in the Display Industry
Abstract: Electronic devices based on amorphous metals have shown promise in
liquid crystal display (LCD) applications. The amorphous metal non-linear resistor
(AMNR) is presented as a circuit element in an LCD sub-pixel circuit. The amorphous
metal lower-electrode in an AMNR possesses an ultra-smooth surface, which enables
reliable operations using ultra-thin insulators as tunneling barriers. The thinness of the
processing layers and the forgiving layer to layer registration requirements create a
simple manufacturing process which has cost advantages over comparable thin-film
transistor (TFT) based processes.
The goal of this presentation is to present a brief overview of the important
technologies associated with amorphous metal based devices targeted at LCD
applications. Comparisons between AMNR, TFT, and past thin-film diode (TFD)
technologies will be made to illustrate the advantages of amorphous metal based
devices. Remaining challenges will be discussed at a high-level to present a picture of
the remaining hurdles to commercialization.
Biography: Sean Muir is Vice President of Device Technology for Amorphyx Inc.
Amorphyx is an innovator at the intersection of materials science and electronics for the
display market. The company was founded in 2012 to commercialize advanced
amorphous metal thin-film technology developed through the Center for Sustainable
Materials Chemistry (CSMC) and licensed from Oregon State University. Amorphyx is
leveraging its expertise in amorphous metals and the creation of high-quality thin films
to design processes that simplify liquid crystal display (LCD) backplane manufacturing,
redefining the cost of LCDs while enabling advances in flexible displays and the
integration of touch functionality into the backplane. In 2012, Sean received the PhD in
Chemistry, with a focus on materials science and electronic properties, from Oregon
State University. During his final year as graduate student Sean was a fellow for the
CSMC and helped to found Amorphyx. In his role as VP of Device Technology Sean
leads research efforts to improve Amorphyx’s foundational technology and transfer this
technology to partner facilities.