Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 5, 2026
09:16
High-resolution Patterning Using Two Modes of Electrohydrodynamic Jet: Drop on Demand and Near-field Electrospinning
Published on: July 10, 2018
10.2K
Current-Induced Changes of Surface Morphology in Printed Ag Thin Wires
Quan Sun1, Yebo Lu2, Chengli Tang3
1College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Jiaxing University, 118 Jiahang Road, Jiaxing 314001, China. sunquan0501@163.com.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 30, 2019
Summary
Electromigration, not thermal effects, alters printed silver thin wire surfaces. Joule heating accelerates this process, offering insights for enhancing electronic device reliability.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Surface Science
Background:
- Printed silver (Ag) thin wires are crucial components in flexible electronic devices.
- Understanding surface morphology changes under electrical stress is vital for device longevity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate current-induced surface morphology changes in printed Ag thin wires.
- To elucidate the underlying mechanisms and contributing factors.
- To propose guidelines for improving electrical reliability.
Main Methods:
- Current stressing tests were performed on printed Ag thin wires on flexible substrates.
- Numerical simulations based on the atomic flux divergence method were employed.
- Experimental results were compared with simulation outcomes.
Main Results:
- Electromigration was identified as the primary cause of surface morphology changes.
- The contribution of thermal migration was found to be negligible.
- Joule heating significantly accelerated the electromigration process.
- Simulations showed good agreement with experimental data.
Conclusions:
- Electromigration is the dominant mechanism altering the surface morphology of printed Ag thin wires.
- Joule heating plays a critical role in accelerating electromigration.
- Proposed guidelines can optimize current density for improved electrical reliability and extended lifetime of printed Ag thin wires in flexible electronics.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Magnetic Field Due To A Thin Straight Wire
6.0K
Consider an infinitely long straight wire carrying a current I. The magnetic field at point P at a distance a from the origin can be calculated using the Biot-Savart law.
6.0K
01:22Magnetic Force On Current-Carrying Wires: Example
2.0K
In a magnetic field, moving charges encounter a force. If a wire contains these moving charges, i.e., if the wire is carrying a current, then a force acts on the wire as well. Consider a pair of flexible leads holding a wire that is 40 cm long and 10 g in weight in a horizontal position. The wire is placed in a constant magnetic field of 0.40 T, as shown in Figure 1(a). Determine the magnitude and direction of the current flowing in the wire needed to remove the tension in the supporting leads.
2.0K
01:18Magnetic Field Due to Two Straight Wires
4.3K
Consider two parallel straight wires carrying a current of 10 A and 20 A in the same direction and separated by a distance of 20 cm. Calculate the magnetic field at a point "P2", midway between the wires. Also, evaluate the magnetic field when the direction of the current is reversed in the second wire.
4.3K
01:26Electric Field at the Surface of a Conductor
5.2K
Consider a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium. The net electric field inside a conductor vanishes, and extra charges on the conductor reside on its outer surface, regardless of where they originate.
In the 19th century, Michael Faraday conducted the famous ice pail experiment to prove that the charges always reside on the surface of a conductor. The experimental set-up consists of a conducting uncharged container mounted on an insulating stand. The outer surface of the container is...
In the 19th century, Michael Faraday conducted the famous ice pail experiment to prove that the charges always reside on the surface of a conductor. The experimental set-up consists of a conducting uncharged container mounted on an insulating stand. The outer surface of the container is...
5.2K
01:27Induced Electric Fields: Applications
2.5K
An important distinction exists between the electric field induced by a changing magnetic field and the electrostatic field produced by a fixed charge distribution. Specifically, the induced electric field is nonconservative because it does not work in moving a charge over a closed path. In contrast, the electrostatic field is conservative and does no net work over a closed path. Hence, electric potential can be associated with the electrostatic field but not the induced field. The following...
2.5K
01:23Induced Electric Fields
4.5K
The fact that emfs are induced in circuits implies that work is being done on the conduction electrons in the wires. What can possibly be the source of this work? We know that it’s neither a battery nor a magnetic field, as a battery does not have to be present in a circuit where current is induced, and magnetic fields never do any work on moving charges. The source of the work is in fact an electric field that is induced in the wires. For example, if a stationary conductor is placed in a...
4.5K