Printed Electrode for High-Performance Bow-Tie Antenna by Photonic Sintering Process

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Flexible electronic device technology is advancing towards stretchable and crumple-able designs.
• Essential properties for these devices include high conductivity, elasticity, durability, and human-body compatibility.
• Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a promising material for human-friendly, flexible substrates due to its durability and repeatability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop highly conductive and durable electrodes for flexible electronic devices.
• To enhance adhesion between PDMS substrates and electrodes.
• To create electrodes suitable for applications like antennas and sensors, particularly for 5G technology.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of flexible/stretchable substrates using PDMS.
• Development of conductive paste using PDMS resins and two types of silver (Ag) particles (flake and nanoparticle).
• Application of paste via high-efficiency printing, followed by thermal curing and photonic-sintering for enhanced conductivity.

Main Results:

• Achieved excellent conductivity of 1.1117×10^6 S/m.
• Demonstrated robust performance in repeated tensile-durability tests (30% strain, 100 cycles).
• Developed a bow-tie antenna using the electrodes, showing no performance degradation up to 35% strain.

Conclusions:

• The developed electrodes exhibit excellent conductivity, stretchability, and durability.
• These electrodes are suitable for advanced flexible electronic applications, including 5G antennas.
• The materials and methods used offer a pathway for creating reliable and high-performance wearable electronics.