Pad-Printing as a Fabrication Process for Flexible and Compact Multilayer Circuits

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Manufacturing Processes

Background:

• Multilayer printed electronics fabrication remains complex despite advancements in printing technologies.
• Pad-printing offers versatility for printing conductive and insulating layers.
• Existing methods have limitations in substrate compatibility and complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel pad-printing process for multilayer circuit fabrication.
• To demonstrate the technique's capability on various substrates.
• To establish guidelines for achieving high printing quality.

Main Methods:

• Utilized pad-printing technique for superposition of conductive (silver-based inks) and insulating (UV inks) layers.
• Designed and printed multilayer test patterns and functional circuits on Kapton®, paper, and wood.
• Developed a multilayer circuit controlling LEDs via a capacitive touch sensor.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated multilayer circuits demonstrating functionality on diverse substrates.
• Identified key parameters for optimizing printing quality.
• Showcased the pad-printing technique's ability to print on flexible, curved, and irregular surfaces.

Conclusions:

• Pad-printing is a viable and versatile method for producing complex multilayer printed electronics.
• The developed process offers a pathway towards low-cost, fast, and environmentally friendly manufacturing.
• Recommendations for parameter optimization can enhance printing quality and process efficiency.