Transient charge-driven 3D conformal printing via pulsed-plasma impingement

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Integrating microstructures and circuits on 3D surfaces is crucial for advanced electronic devices.
• Current methods face challenges in achieving fine feature patterning on arbitrary 3D targets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel charge-driven electrohydrodynamic 3D microprinting technique.
• To demonstrate high-resolution patterning on diverse 3D dielectric surfaces.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing an atmospheric-pressure cold plasma jet to create transient surface charges.
• Employing localized electrostatic attraction for programmable ink deposition.
• Achieving micron and submicron-scale patterning on 2D and 3D surfaces, including narrow cavities.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated printing resolution of approximately 450 nm on 3D surfaces with curvature down to 1 mm.
• Successfully fabricated conformal electronic devices on 3D dielectric objects.
• Achieved self-aligned 3D microprinting with layer stacking up to 1400.

Conclusions:

• The microplasma-induced printing technique offers ultrahigh resolution, excellent ink/substrate compatibility, and omnidirectional printing capabilities.
• This method provides a promising solution for fabricating electronic devices on arbitrary 3D surfaces.
• The technique facilitates the development of innovative 3D curvy electronic devices.