Printed electronics is a term that encompasses thin film transistor circuits (TFTCs), displays, interconnects, power, sensors and even actuators. Over one thousand companies have now entered this market. These printing, materials, paper and chemical companies of today will be the new electronic giants tomorrow. This report introduces the technologies, companies, timelines and opportunities for those looking to get involved in the subject.
 
Here, for the first time is the big picture, including how printed electronics is the gateway to edible, foldable, rollable, conformal, wearable, biodegradable and other electronics and electrics. It covers the future of lighting and the newly created mass markets for disposable electronics and affordable solar cells in vast areas but it also covers the impediments to some rollouts including materials shortages and incremental improvements to existing products instead of "thinking outside the box". For the first few years it will be "electronic printing", mainly replacing print such as barcodes, books, signage and billboards not electronics and this is explained with a profusion of examples.
 
This report is vital reading to understand the opportunity of the technology, players, needs and timelines, giving global coverage. It is a sister publication to Printed & Organic Electronics Forecasts, Players and Opportunities 2008-2028 which focuses on forecasts.
 
All significant developments in printed electronics are closely analysed in this report. Unusually, we also look at the many printed electronic devices and displays - electrochromic, electroluminescent, etc. - that are already a commercial reality even on flexible substrates, not just the promise of so-called OLEDs. Today's successes also employ conductors, batteries, inductors, antennas, capacitors and electrically active materials that are printed. The moving colour billboard, the gift card and the smart skin patch that are printed on flexible plastic are a reality today and there are lessons to be learned. Other advances are close behind, including printed thin film fuel cells and lasers. Later will come self-adjusting 'use by' dates, printed microprocessors, ubiquitous printed lighting and other wonders, including printing electronics directly onto things. All this is explained in simple language.
 
For the first time, this report describes the technical and market development and the many new applications, new suppliers and new users being created as a result. There are many comparison tables and new and dramatic illustrations from the smart airport to the next smart military aircraft, the car interior of the next Jaguar car and even examples of electronics as art - newly made possible. Nothing is more up to date than this compelling read.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Definition and destination
1.1.1. Background
1.1.2. Stretchable Electronics
1.1.3. Rollable electronics
1.1.4. Foldable electronics
1.1.5. Edible electronics
1.1.6. Interactive paper
1.1.7. Ubiquitous Sensor Networks
1.1.8. Electronic packaging
1.1.9. Conformal electronics / electronic wallpaper
1.1.10. Wearable and very portable electronics
1.1.11. Old concepts revisited - fault tolerant electronics, hard programmed electronics
1.1.12. Electronics without circuits
1.2. The technical needs for printed electronics
1.2.1. Replacing and enhancing conventional print
1.2.2. Replacing the silicon chip
1.2.3. Replacing conventional displays
1.2.4. Replacing conventional lighting
1.2.5. Transforming the human interface and new forms of safety and security
1.2.6. New forms of amusement and merchandising
1.2.7. New forms of drug delivery
1.2.8. Products that are light, rugged and extremely low cost
1.3. Smart locations
1.4. Industries that need to collaborate
1.5. Value chain and life beyond plastic electronics
1.6. Interim products with silicon chips
1.7. Impediments to printed electronics

2. PRINTABLE CIRCUIT ELEMENTS
2.1. Substrates
2.2. Conductors
2.2.1. Choice of conductors
2.2.2. Printing with inks - the options
2.2.3. Progress with conductive inks
2.3. Semiconductors

3. LOGIC AND MEMORY
3.1. Logic
3.1.1. Transistor design
3.1.2. Benefits and applications envisaged for TFTCs in general
3.1.3. Development path
3.1.4. Company strategy and value chain
3.2. Memory

4. DISPLAYS
4.1. Display technologies
4.2. Non-emissive displays
4.2.1. Thermochromic
4.2.2. Electrochromic
4.2.3. Electrophoretic
4.2.4. Electrowetted displays
4.2.5. Electrochemical displays on paper
4.3. Emissive displays
4.3.1. AC Electroluminescent
4.3.2. OLED

5. LIGHTING AND SIGNAGE
5.1. AC electroluminescent lighting.
5.2. OLED lighting
6. POWER
6.1. Photovoltaics
6.2. Batteries
6.2.1. Button batteries vs laminar batteries
6.2.2. Choices of laminar battery
6.2.3. Applications of laminar batteries
6.2.4. Leeds Lithium Power
6.2.5. Infinite Power Solutions
6.2.6. Solicore, USA
6.2.7. SCI Engineered Materials, USA
6.2.8. Power Paper
6.2.9. Thin Battery Technologies
6.2.10. Rocket Electric
6.2.11. Printed battery research
6.3. Fuel cells

7. SENSORS AND FILTERS
7.1. General situation and examples
7.2. Photodetector arrays
7.2.1. Printed flexible scanners
7.2.2. Nanoident - world's first printed semiconductor factory
7.3. Printing metamaterials

8. CO-DEPOSITED COMPONENTS

9. BROAD OVERVIEW OF TIMELINES AND MARKETS
9.1. General scenario to 2025
9.2. OLEDs
9.3. Lighting
9.4. Ubiquitous Sensor Networks (USNs)
9.5. Photovoltaics
9.6. Conductive patterns

APPENDIX 1: IDTECHEX PUBLICATIONS
APPENDIX 2: GLOSSARY