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Development of electrical-erosion instrument for direct write micro-patterning on large area conductive thin films
Ángel Luis Álvarez1, Carmen Coya1, Miguel García-Vélez1
1Departamento Teoría de la Señal y Comunicaciones, Sistemas Telemáticos y Computación, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería de Telecomunicación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Fuenlabrada, Madrid 28943, Spain.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|September 3, 2015
Summary
A new direct, dry lithography instrument uses electrical discharges for mask-free patterning on conductive materials. This cost-effective technique is scalable for large-area applications, including graphene micro-ribbon fabrication.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Conventional photolithography relies on masks and chemicals, limiting scalability and increasing costs.
- Direct patterning techniques are sought after for efficient fabrication of microelectronic devices.
- Existing methods often struggle with cost-effectiveness and compatibility with large-scale manufacturing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, mask-free, and dry lithography instrument for conductive materials.
- To demonstrate a cost-effective and scalable patterning technique compatible with roll-to-roll manufacturing.
- To achieve high-resolution patterning with precise control over feature dimensions.
Main Methods:
- A prototype instrument employing piezo nano-steppers and linear micro-stages was designed.
- Localized electrical discharges were generated using a spring probe biased at low DC voltage.
- The technique involves sliding a probe on the conductive material, creating insulating paths.
- Real-time monitoring and software-based tilt correction were implemented for process control.
Main Results:
- The instrument successfully fabricated insulating tracks and pads on gold, indium tin oxide, and aluminum.
- Alphanumeric displays using organic light-emitting diodes were created without masks or photoresists.
- Graphene demonstrated exceptional results, yielding well-defined micro-ribbons with a high aspect ratio (up to 1200:1) and no material waste.
- The process operates at speeds of few cm/s, enabling large-area fabrication.
Conclusions:
- The developed electrical discharge-based lithography offers a direct, dry, and cost-effective alternative to photolithography.
- The technique is highly compatible with roll-to-roll processing and scalable for industrial applications.
- High-quality patterning, particularly on graphene, highlights the potential for advanced microfabrication.
