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Formulation and Aerosol Jet Printing of Nickel Nanoparticle Ink for High-Temperature Microelectronic Applications and
Nicholas McKibben1, Michael Curtis1, Olivia Maryon1
1Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, 1910 W University Drive, Boise, Idaho 83725, United States.
ACS Applied Electronic Materials
|March 4, 2024
Summary
Aerosol jet printing created nickel thin films for electronics. These films enabled patterned graphene growth, establishing a fully additive manufacturing route for advanced materials.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Additive Manufacturing
Background:
- Aerosol Jet Printing (AJP) offers a reliable, efficient, and eco-friendly method for fabricating thin film electronics.
- Nickel is a desirable high-temperature packaging material due to its excellent electrical conductivity, magnetic properties, and corrosion resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize nickel nanoparticles and formulate an AJP ink for printing on diverse substrates.
- To investigate the thermal sintering behavior, redox properties, and electrical performance optimization of printed nickel films.
- To demonstrate the feasibility of growing multilayer graphene on AJP-printed nickel films via chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
Main Methods:
- Nickel nanoparticles were synthesized and formulated into an AJP ink.
- The ink was printed onto various substrates, followed by thermal sintering to optimize electrical properties.
- Nickel thin film devices were subjected to heating under argon to determine failure mechanisms and observe redox behavior.
- Multilayer graphene was grown on printed nickel films using chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
Main Results:
- AJP successfully printed nickel nanoparticle inks on multiple surfaces.
- Thermal sintering optimized the electrical performance of the nickel thin films.
- Device failure under argon was characterized by reflectance loss and electrical property degradation due to dewetting.
- A reduction mechanism involving nucleation and coalescence was observed during thermal stress.
- Patterned graphene growth was achieved on the custom-printed nickel thin film.
Conclusions:
- Aerosol jet printing provides a flexible and precise method for fabricating nickel thin films.
- The study established a fully additive manufacturing pathway from nickel film printing to patterned graphene growth.
- This integrated approach holds potential for advanced semiconductor packaging and electronic device fabrication.
