NASA Langley Research Center, Industry Assistance Office, MS 144 Hampton, Va. 23681-0001

59 -- LICENSE OFFERING FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF ULTRA-THIN, ADHESIVELESS, FLEXIBLE, MULTILAYER CIRCUITS POC Linda P. Fitzgerald, Industry Assistance Office, (804) 864-2461. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) seeks to commercialize a suite of patented technologies for producing adhesiveless, flexible, multilayer circuits for a variety of markets. These technologies, developed at NASA Langley Research Center, have resulted in prototype circuits that have been tested in various applications. NASA holds key patents for these technologies and is offering licenses for commercial development. This new technology involves a novel method of fabricating multilayer flex circuits without the use of adhesives. It relies on a self-bonding polyimide material called LARC-SI (Langley Research Center-Soluble Imide). This material can be melt extruded or cast as sheets of flexible film that will bond to each other or directly to other surfaces such as aluminum, copper, ceramic, and glass. LARC-SI is a premium thermoplastic that can be exposed to elevated temperatures, harsh chemicals, and repeated soldering without degradation. Single, double and multilayer flex circuits can be fabricated. LARC-SI can be dissolved, sprayed, and dried at the relatively low temperature of 100 degrees C. (most polyimides require at least 250 degrees C.) without distorting or dissolving the previous film layer, and no curing is required. Thus, metals such as copper that oxidize and tarnish at elevated temperatures can be used with this process. LARC-SI also can be bonded directly to various surfaces which allows for electronic circuits to be placed on or in unique parts of a system. Flex circuits can be produced by spraying or casting LARC-SI on aluminum foil. Patterned LARC-SI films hot pressed to aluminum foil and polyimide film have been found to have excellent adhesion. Ceramic substrates have also been sprayed with LARC-SI, dried, metallized and patterned. After plunging these substrates into liquid nitrogen and warming them to room temperature no delamination was observed. Various lightweight powdered materials have been suspended in LARC-SI solution creating a powdered spray coating. Weightier powdered materials resistant to suspension in the LARC-SI solution can be applied to surfaces using a different technique that employs LARC-SI as a base coat. NASA desires to enter into joint development and commercialization agreements with private industry to advance the development and testing of these technologies. NASA also wishes to transfer existing proprietary technology and patent rights as well as the rights that result from joint work under the development agreement(s). NASA will make them available for license to the joint participant(s) in accordance with NASA's Patent Licensing Regulations. Accordingly, a technical briefing will be held on June 12, 1996, at NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia 23681-0001 to describe the technology, outline the planned Space Act Agreement, and explain the process and criteria under which NASA will select a participant(s). This announcement is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by NASA or as an RFP. NASA will not pay for the information solicited. Interested organizations should submit a Statement of Interest and Qualifications (SIQ) form by May 15, 1996. Respondents will not automatically be notified of the results of the evaluation, but those deemed fully qualified will be invited to attend the technical briefing. Patent descriptions and SIQ forms may be obtained from Rebecca Watkins (telephone: 412-648-7005, fax: 412-648-7003, email: watkins@mtac.pitt.edu). In responding reference SS260. (0113)

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