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Inkjet Printing of Heterostructures: Investigation and Strategies for Control of Interfaces
Jonathan S Austin1, Yundong Zhou2, Geoffrey Rivers1
1Centre for Additive Manufacturing, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Jubilee Campus, Nottingham NG8 1BB, U.K.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|March 7, 2025
Summary
Controlling intermixing at interfaces in printed electronics is crucial. This study reveals how ink composition and printing parameters affect intermixing depth, impacting device electrical properties.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Electronics Engineering
Background:
- Printed electronics rely on understanding heterostructure interfaces.
- Controlling intermixing between dissimilar materials in these interfaces is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate interfacial intermixing in inkjet-printed heterostructures.
- To establish the effect of ink composition and printing parameters on intermixing depth.
- To correlate intermixing phenomena with device electrical properties.
Main Methods:
- Utilized time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS).
- Employed focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM).
- Conducted energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis on various heterostructures.
Main Results:
- Established the influence of ink composition and printing parameters on intermixing depth.
- Differentiated intermixing mechanisms: layer porosity vs. layer redispersion.
- Demonstrated that porosity-driven intermixing has no impact on electrical properties, while redispersion increases resistance.
Conclusions:
- Interfacial engineering in printed heterostructures is key for device performance.
- Controlling intermixing depth and mechanism is vital for optimizing printed electronic devices.
- Developed strategies for controlling interfacial composition and morphology in printed heterostructures.
