Inkjet patterning of multiline intersections for wirings in printed electronics.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Inkjet printing of conductive inks is a key technology for fabricating electronic circuits.
• The geometrical regularity of printed features, especially intersections, is critical for circuit performance.
• Ink instability during printing often leads to thickness variations at vertices, impacting reliability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a morphological analysis of inkjet printed multi-line intersections.
• To investigate the impact of ink instability on the thickness regularity of printed vertices.
• To propose and evaluate specific intersection patterns for compensating thickness irregularities.

Main Methods:

• Morphological analysis of thin-film structures made from silver conductive ink.
• Inkjet printing of multi-line intersections using thermo-curable liquid inks.
• Evaluation of specific intersection patterns designed to enhance thickness regularity.

Main Results:

• Ink instability during printing results in vertex thickness irregularity, often with peaks.
• The study identified specific intersection patterns that effectively compensate for these irregularities.
• The proposed patterns demonstrated a reduction in instability and improved thickness regularity at intersections.

Conclusions:

• Optimized intersection patterns are crucial for achieving regular morphology in inkjet printed electronics.
• This approach enhances the reliability and performance of circuits fabricated with conductive silver inks.
• The findings contribute to the advancement of printed electronics manufacturing.