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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Scientists and engineers at Oregon State University have developed a new class of materials that can be used to create safe, inexpensive and transparent electronic circuits, and licensed the exclusive rights to develop and market products based on this technology to HP.

The rapid evolution of this new field of transparent electronics may hold the key to new industries, employment opportunities, and many new, more effective or less costly consumer products, researchers say. Uses could range from transparent displays in the windshield of an automobile to cell phones, televisions, copiers, "smart" glass or even game and toy applications.

Transparent transistors have already been created using these new materials, which are called amorphous heavy-metal cation multi-component oxides, and the work is moving quickly towards complete transparent electronic circuits. The electronic capabilities of these materials are so impressive that scientists believe they outperform organic and polymer materials that are the basis of millions of dollars of research development each year.

OSU officials say this may become one of the most valuable collaborations the university has ever developed with private industry.

"We have already applied for a series of patents around this technology, and we believe that our licensing agreement with HP will help transparent electronics move quickly into the commercial marketplace," said Brian Wall, assistant director of the Office of Technology Transfer at OSU. "HP was one of the earliest supporters of this research, and we believe the products they can develop with this transparent transistor technology will be a great boost for Oregon industry and a great asset to OSU."

"The researchers and scientists at OSU have made some phenomenal discoveries in the field of amorphous heavy-metal cation oxides," said Mark Van Order, director of Technology Products for the Imaging and Printing Group at HP. "We've had a very productive collaboration with OSU throughout the development cycle of this technology, which will be applicable to a broad number of markets, including the display, printing, medical, and automotive industries."

Researchers from the College of Engineering and College of Science at OSU have collaborated in the creation of these new materials, including John Wager, a professor of electrical engineering; Doug Keszler, professor and head of the OSU Department of Chemistry; and Janet Tate, a professor of physics.

"By getting scientists and engineers working closely from the beginning on the basic science, engineering and manufacturing issues that relate to these compounds, we've been able to develop applications that are technologically useful and relevant from inception," Wager said. "These materials are not just laboratory curiosities."

For instance, at the moment the most promising of these heavy metal inorganic oxides appears to be a zinc-tin oxide, which would be environmentally safe and inexpensive to manufacture. Alternative heavy metals such as gold and silver were ruled out because of their expense, as were cadmium, mercury, lead and arsenic due to environmental concerns. And the "sputter" deposition technologies that are being used to fabricate devices are already mainstays of the electronics manufacturing industry.

The transistors and electronic circuits that can be developed with these new compounds, researchers say, are not only transparent, but they have high electron mobility, chemical stability, physical durability and ease of manufacture at low temperatures. They are tough and robust, and can be placed over large areas at low cost, or on flexible substrates such as plastic.

And some of their electronic and manufacturing advantages are so profound, scientists say, that early products may not take advantage of their transparency - the new compounds will simply work better for many applications than alternative materials.

"The closest materials competing with our inorganic oxides are amorphous silicon, organic semiconductors and polymer semiconductors," Wager said. "But our new compounds already have better electron mobility than those products after many years of research."

"We use glass and plastic everywhere," Wager said. "In theory almost any glass or plastic surface might now form the basis for an electronic circuit. That could include windows with display electronics, automotive glass with visual information on your dashboard or windshield, or even glass used in security situations."

Additionally, there may be ways in which this technology can help produce more efficient solar cells or better liquid crystal displays. The military has also shown interest. Some uses might be so inexpensive they could form the basis for disposable electronic devices in areas such as the medical industry. And many future applications may be developed with products that do not currently exist.

Research related to these compounds has been funded by the National Science Foundation, HP and the U.S. Army Research Office. These newest materials are an evolution of a zinc oxide transistor, the world's first transparent transistor, which was reported by OSU scientists in 2003.

Licensing inquiries should be directed to HP at the following website: http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/abouthp/iplicensing/contact.html.