Photonic Curing – PulseForge 1300
The PulseForge 1300 system from NovaCentrix is a research and development tool for rapid photonic curing with pulsed light from a powerful xenon flash lamp.
What is photonic curing?
Photonic curing is the high temperature thermal processing of a thin film using pulsed light from a xenon flash lamp. When this transient processing is done on a low temperature substrate such as plastic or paper, it is possible to attain a significantly higher temperature than the substrate can ordinarily withstand in a conventional oven.
![https://3s17.empa.ch/documents/147354/601833/Photonic-Curing-Process_440px.jpg/547c329c-cab7-4366-b28d-3e34d203e197?t=1465575597000](https://3s17.empa.ch/documents/147354/601833/Photonic-Curing-Process_440px.jpg/547c329c-cab7-4366-b28d-3e34d203e197?t=1465575597000)
Photonic curing (Image: NovaCentrix)
Key specification
- Max radiant energy delivered (J/cm2) 45
- Peak radiant power delivered (kW/cm2) 24
- Output spectrum (nm) 200–1500
- Pulse length range (microseconds) 25–10,000
- Max pulse rate >kHz
- Effective max linear processing speed (meters/min) 30
- Max area cured per sample (mm) 300 x 150
- Environmental chamber for controlled atmosphere and substrate heating
![https://3s17.empa.ch/documents/147354/601833/PulseForge-1300-v2_440px.jpg/14855961-aa48-4009-ba87-a7e84f6c2a6e?t=1465577109000](https://3s17.empa.ch/documents/147354/601833/PulseForge-1300-v2_440px.jpg/14855961-aa48-4009-ba87-a7e84f6c2a6e?t=1465577109000)
Photonic Curing System PulseForge 1300
Examples of processed materials
![https://3s17.empa.ch/documents/147354/601833/Photonic-Curing-Examples_280px.jpg/1056a795-9d82-4d05-9de5-7755a2ed888d?t=1465576764000](https://3s17.empa.ch/documents/147354/601833/Photonic-Curing-Examples_280px.jpg/1056a795-9d82-4d05-9de5-7755a2ed888d?t=1465576764000)
Image: DTF Technology
Depending on the pulse energy, duration, shape and repetition several effects can be tailored ranging from drying and curing to defect anneling, sintering and re-crystallization. Examples of processed materials include printed metal and carbon-based inks, compound semiconductors and even refractory oxides. You find more information on the webpages of the Laboratory for Thin Films and Photovoltaics.